Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 一路平安 | yīlùpíng'ān |
| 一路順風 / 一路顺风 | yīlùshùnfēng |
These phrases are used to wish someone a good journey. To use them in a complete sentence, you often add the verb 祝 (zhù, to wish) at the beginning, such as in 祝你一路平安 (Wish you a safe journey). In informal settings, if you want to tell someone to have fun, you can say 玩得开心 (wán de kāi xīn). In more formal settings, to wish that everything goes smoothly, you may use 一帆风顺 (yì fān fēng shùn).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 一路平安 literally means "one road peace/safety" (peace/safety throughout the whole journey). The phrase 一路順風 / 一路顺风 literally means "one road smooth wind" (may the wind be at your back throughout the journey).
Which one should you use?
一路平安 is a more neutral and safer wish that applies to any mode of transport. In contrast, 一路順風 / 一路顺风 specifically implies a smooth journey through the reference to wind.
How do you pronounce it?
yīlùpíng'ān
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using 一路顺风 when seeing someone off at an airport, as the literal reference to "wind" can be seen as bad luck for air travel.
Did you know?
- The phrase 一路順風 is a linguistic relic from the era of sailing ships, when a traveler's success depended entirely on catching the right winds.
- In Chinese, the word 平安 used in 一路平安 describes a state of holistic peace and being free from harm, rather than simply the absence of travel delays.
- The term 一路 used in these phrases does not refer to a 'single road' or street, but is a grammatical way to say 'throughout the entire journey'.
Examples in context
- 祝你一路平安。Bon voyage!This sentence is useful for practicing how to wish someone a safe journey using 一路平安.Tatoeba #435209 by GlossaMatik, translation #435207 by FeuDRenais
- 到了那里记得告诉我，祝你一路平安。Dàole nàlǐ jìdé gàosù wǒ, zhù nǐ yílù píng'ān.Remember to tell me when you arrive, wish you a safe journey.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At the airport as Zhiqiang prepares to fly home.
- 佳怡 Jiayi志强，祝你一路平安！Zhìqiáng, zhù nǐ yílù píng'ān!Zhiqiang, have a safe journey!
- 志强 Zhiqiang谢谢你，佳怡。Xièxiè nǐ, Jiāyí.Thank you, Jiayi.
- 佳怡 Jiayi到了以后给我发个消息。Dàole yǐhòu gěi wǒ fā gè xiāoxī.Send me a message once you arrive.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好的，再见。Hǎo de, zàijiàn.Okay, goodbye.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bon voyage” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 一路順風, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
