往 meaning and stroke order
To go (in a direction); to; towards
How to write 往, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 往
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to go (in a direction)
- to
- towards
- (of a train) bound for
- past
- previous
How 往 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Step.
彳 gives the meaning and 王 hints at the sound.
Radical: 彳 (to step with the left foot), shared by 42 characters on this site.
How to remember 往
The left side 彳 means a step, so this character is about moving somewhere. The right side looks like 王 (wáng) with a dot on top and gives the sound wǎng, so picture taking steps toward the king.
往 (wǎng) often comes before a direction or place to mean "toward", as in 往前走 or 往左拐. It also appears on trains and buses to mean "bound for", and in words about the past like 以往 (yǐwǎng). Example: 一直往前走。(Yìzhí wǎng qián zǒu.) Go straight ahead.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side as plain 王 and forget the dot on top, or confuse 往 with 住 (zhù, to live), which has 亻 instead of 彳 and 主 on the right. Also remember the tone is third tone wǎng, not second tone like 王 (wáng).
Common words with 往
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 前往 | qiánwǎng | to leave for; to proceed towards; to go to | HSK 3 |
| 交往 | jiāowǎng | to associate (with); to have contact (with) | HSK 3 |
| 往往 | wǎngwǎng | usually; in many cases | HSK 3 |
| 以往 | yǐwǎng | in the past; formerly | HSK 5 |
| 往后 | wǎnghòu | from now on; in the future | HSK 6 |
| 来往 | láiwǎng | to come and go; to have dealings with | HSK 6 |
| 往来 | wǎnglái | dealings; contacts | HSK 6 |
| 往年 | wǎngnián | in former years; in previous years | HSK 6 |
| 通往 | tōngwǎng | to lead to | HSK 7-9 |
| 往常 | wǎngcháng | usual; customary | HSK 7-9 |
| 飞往 | fēiwǎng | HSK 7-9 | |
| 往事 | wǎngshì | past events; former happenings | HSK 7-9 |
| 一如既往 | yīrú-jìwǎng | (idiom) just as in the past; as before; continuing as always | HSK 7-9 |
| 过往 | guòwǎng | to come and go; to associate with; to have dealings with | HSK 7-9 |
往 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 往
How many strokes are in 往?
往 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 往 mean?
往 (wǎng) means to go (in a direction); to; towards. A common word with it is 前往 (qiánwǎng), meaning "to leave for; to proceed towards; to go to".
How do you pronounce 往?
往 is pronounced wǎng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 往?
The radical of 往 is 彳, which carries the idea of "to step with the left foot". Dictionaries list 往 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 往?
The traditional form of 往 is 徃. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 往 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 往 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 往 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 往 and 向?
Both can mean "toward" before a direction, as in 往东 and 向东. 往 focuses on physical movement toward a place, while 向 is more general and can be used with people, as in 向他学习 (xiàng tā xuéxí), to learn from him.
Does 往往 mean the same as 常常?
Not exactly. 往往 (wǎngwǎng) describes a pattern that tends to happen under certain conditions, like 周末他往往在家 (on weekends he usually stays home). 常常 (chángcháng) simply means something happens often and can be used for future plans, while 往往 is not.