Usage note
往表示朝着某个方向移动。
wǎng biǎo shì cháo zhe mǒu gè fāng xiàng yí dòng。
往 means moving toward a certain direction.
Context note
往常出现在往前、往回、往左这些方向表达里。
wǎng cháng chū xiàn zài wǎng qián 、 wǎng huí 、 wǎng zuǒ zhè xiē fāng xiàng biǎo dá lǐ。
往 often appears in direction expressions like forward, back, and left.
5 examples
往前走。
wǎng qián zǒu。
Walk forward.
车往左拐。
chē wǎng zuǒ guǎi。
The car turns left.
他往家走。
tā wǎng jiā zǒu。
He walks home.
请往这边来。
qǐng wǎng zhè biān lái。
Please come this way.
风往窗户那边吹。
fēng wǎng chuāng hù nà biān chuī。
The wind blows toward the window.
5 mini stories
我们往学校走的时候，看见了老师。
wǒ men wǎng xué xiào zǒu de shí hòu， kàn jiàn le lǎo shī。
When we walked toward school, we saw the teacher.
小狗往前跑了几步，又停下来等我。
xiǎo gǒu wǎng qián pǎo le jǐ bù， yòu tíng xià lái děng wǒ。
The puppy ran forward a few steps, then stopped to wait for me.
请往右看，那里有一个红色的门。
qǐng wǎng yòu kàn， nà lǐ yǒu yí gè hóng sè de mén。
Please look to the right. There is a red door there.
风往北吹，树叶一直在动。
fēng wǎng běi chuī， shù yè yì zhí zài dòng。
The wind blew north, and the leaves kept moving.
我不知道怎么走，就跟着大家往前。
wǒ bù zhī dào zěn me zǒu， jiù gēn zhe dà jiā wǎng qián。
I did not know how to go, so I followed everyone forward.
Mini dialogue
往左还是往右
A
图书馆往哪儿走？
Túshūguǎn wǎng nǎr zǒu?
Which way is the library?
B
往前走，再往左拐。
Wǎng qián zǒu, zài wǎng zuǒ guǎi.
Go straight ahead, then turn left.
开往公园
A
这辆车开往哪里？
Zhè liàng chē kāi wǎng nǎlǐ?
Where is this bus going?
B
开往中心公园。
Kāi wǎng zhōngxīn gōngyuán.
It's going to the Central Park.
Related words and contrasts
similar
向
xiàng
towards
往 and 向 both show direction. 往 is often used with verbs of movement.
contrast
来
lái
come
往 often shows direction away, 来 shows direction towards the speaker.