Section 01
Vocabulary: Locations & Navigating
上
Up / Above
下
Down / Below
左
Left
右
Right
前
Front
后
Back / Behind
边 / 面
Side (Suffix)
东
East
南
South
西
West
北
North
这儿 / 这里
Here
那儿 / 那里
There
学校
School
超市
Supermarket
医院
Hospital
饭馆
Restaurant
公园
Park
电影院
Movie Theater
图书馆
Library
住
To live
住在
Live at / in
路
Road / Street
号
Number (Address)
楼
Building / Floor
怎么走
How to get there?
走
To walk / go
往 / 向
Towards
转
To turn
往前走
Walk straight
红绿灯
Traffic light
路口
Intersection
离
From (distance)
近
Near / Close
远
Far
附近
Nearby / Vicinity
有
There is / are
从…到…
From... To...
请问
Excuse me
Practice Time
Interactive Vocabulary Games
Section 02
Grammar Points
Sentence Order Tip
Chinese Spatial Logic
In English, you might say "The park is next to the school" (Subject ➔ Prep ➔ Landmark).
In Chinese, you must state the Landmark first, then stick the direction onto it! You say: "Park is located at [School's] Next-side" (公园在学校的旁边).
In Chinese, you must state the Landmark first, then stick the direction onto it! You say: "Park is located at [School's] Next-side" (公园在学校的旁边).
1. Relative Location: The 3 Golden Formulas
To describe where something is located relative to a landmark, you have three interchangeable formulas. They all mean the exact same thing!
北
西
东
南
医院
公园
超市
电影院
学校
饭馆
A + 在 + B 的 + Direction
公园在超市的右边。
Gōng yuán zài chāo shì de yòu biān.
The park is on the right side of the supermarket.
B 的 + Direction + 是 + A
超市的右边是公园。
Chāo shì de yòu biān shì gōng yuán.
The supermarket's right side is the park.
B 的 + Direction + 有 + A
超市的右边有一个公园。
Chāo shì de yòu biān yǒu yí ge gōng yuán.
There is a park on the right side of the supermarket.
2. Addresses (Big to Small)
Just like Chinese dates (Year -> Month -> Day), Chinese addresses always go from the largest area to the smallest (Country -> City -> Road -> Number -> Building). Use 住在 (zhù zài) to say "live at".
Subject + 住在 + ___ 路 + ___ 号 + ___ 楼
1.
你住在哪里？
Nǐ zhù zài nǎ lǐ?
Where do you live?
2.
我住在中国北京中山路八号。
Wǒ zhù zài zhōng guó běi jīng zhōng shān lù bā hào.
I live in China, Beijing, Zhongshan Road, No. 8.
3. Nearby (附近) & Distance (离)
附近 (fù jìn) means "the nearby vicinity". To say A is far or near from B, use the preposition 离 (lí).
Place A + 离 + Place B + 很远 (Far) / 很近 (Near)
1.
学校附近有一个饭馆。
Xué xiào fù jìn yǒu yí ge fàn guǎn.
There is a restaurant near the school.
2.
医院离我家很远。
Yī yuàn lí wǒ jiā hěn yuǎn.
The hospital is very far from my home.
4. Navigating: 往 (Towards) + 转 (Turn)
To ask how to get somewhere, say Place + 怎么走 (zěn me zǒu)? When giving instructions, use 往 / 向 (wǎng / xiàng) followed by a direction, then the action.
关键区别 (Critical Difference): In English, you say the action first ("Turn left"). In Chinese, you MUST say the direction first! You say 往左转 (Towards left turn) or simply 左转 (Left turn).
1.
请问，电影院怎么走？
Qǐng wèn, diàn yǐng yuàn zěn me zǒu?
Excuse me, how to get to the movie theater?
2.
从这里往前走。
Cóng zhè lǐ wǎng qián zǒu.
From here walk straight ahead (Towards front walk).
3.
到了红绿灯，往右转。
Dào le hóng lǜ dēng, wǎng yòu zhuǎn.
Once arriving at the traffic light, turn right (towards right turn).
Section 03
Reading Practice in Context
Choose a context below to see directions and addresses in action.
我家的附近
My Neighborhood (Presentational)
我家附近有很多公园和超市。我家的左边是公园，右边是医院。学校离我家很近，在我家的前面。学校旁边有一个图书馆。周末，我喜欢去超市买东西。超市离我家很远。
There are many parks and supermarkets near my home. The left side of my home is a park, the right side is a hospital. The school is very close to my home, it is in front of my home. Next to the school there is a library. On weekends, I like to go to the supermarket to buy things. The supermarket is very far from my home.
电影院怎么走？
How to get to the theater? (Dialogue)
🚦
⬆️
电影院
学校
⬆️
饭馆
医院
🧍
公园
A
你好！请问，电影院怎么走？
Nǐ hǎo! Qǐng wèn, diàn yǐng yuàn zěn me zǒu?
Hello! Excuse me, how do I get to the movie theater?
B
电影院离这儿不远。从这里往前走。
Diàn yǐng yuàn lí zhèr bù yuǎn. Cóng zhè lǐ wǎng qián zǒu.
The theater is not far from here. From here, walk straight ahead.
A
好，往前走。然后呢？
Hǎo, wǎng qián zǒu. Rán hòu ne?
Okay, walk straight. And then?
B
到了红绿灯，往右转。电影院在路口的右边。
Dào le hóng lǜ dēng, wǎng yòu zhuǎn. Diàn yǐng yuàn zài lù kǒu de yòu biān.
When you arrive at the traffic light, turn right. The theater is on the right side of the intersection.
A
谢谢你！
Xiè xie nǐ!
Thank you!
你住在哪里？
Where do you live? (Dialogue)
A
王芳，你住在哪里？
Wáng Fāng, nǐ zhù zài nǎ lǐ?
Wang Fang, where do you live?
B
我住在中山路八号。你呢？
Wǒ zhù zài zhōng shān lù bā hào. Nǐ ne?
I live at No. 8 Zhongshan Road. And you?
A
我住在学校附近，长安路十号楼。
Wǒ zhù zài xué xiào fù jìn, cháng ān lù shí hào lóu.
I live near the school, Chang'an Road Building 10.
B
离这里远吗？
Lí zhè lǐ yuǎn ma?
Is it far from here?
A
不远，很近。我家前面有一个公园。
Bù yuǎn, hěn jìn. Wǒ jiā qián miàn yǒu yí ge gōng yuán.
Not far, very close. In front of my home there is a park.
Ready to test yourself?
Practice Reading — Comprehension Quiz
Answer multiple-choice questions on both passages · Instant feedback
Section 04
Listening Practice in Context
Listen to the audio, then click the words in the correct order to build the sentence.
左边
学校
公园
的
在
红绿灯
往右转
到了
这里
离
很近
图书馆
怎么
走
请问
电影院
八号楼
长安路
我住在
Select a context below and practice listening to locations and directions.
Location Descriptions
Listen to where the hospital is relative to the supermarket
Speed:
Following Directions
Listen for the turn at the traffic light
Speed:
Ready to test yourself?
Practice Listening — Interactive Mode
Full listening player · Comprehension questions after each track