Level 3 · Intermediate
Direction words: 向 and 往
往 / 向 + Direction + Verb — 向 + Person + Verb
Both 往 (wǎng) and 向 (xiàng) put a direction in front of the verb. 往 is for physical headings — the word you hear in every set of directions: 往前走 "go straight ahead", 往右转 "turn right".
向 covers physical direction too, but it also aims at people and abstract targets: 向他道歉 "apologize to him", 向老师学习 "learn from the teacher". Rule of thumb: place or compass direction → either one works; a person → only 向.
Examples
一直往前走，就到了。
yī zhí wǎng qián zǒu jiù dào le
Keep going straight ahead and you're there.
到了路口，往右转。
到了路口，往右轉。
dào le lù kǒu wǎng yòu zhuǎn
At the intersection, turn right.
你应该向他道歉。
你應該向他道歉。
nǐ yīng gāi xiàng tā dào qiàn
You should apologize to him.
我们要向老师学习。
我們要向老師學習。
wǒ men yào xiàng lǎo shī xué xí
We should learn from the teacher.
Common mistakes
✗ 你应该往他道歉。
✓ 你应该向他道歉。
往 only takes physical directions — people and abstract targets go with 向.
Related grammar points
See it in a story
Read this pattern in context: The Boss’ Praise — free graded stories with tap-to-reveal pinyin and translations.
