直走
zhí zǒu
To say 'go straight' in Chinese, use 直走 (zhí zǒu).
The phrase 直走 means to continue moving forward in a direct line without turning. In spoken directions, people often use 往前走, which literally means 'walk towards the front'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adverb 直 (zhí), meaning 'straight' and the verb 走 (zǒu), meaning 'to walk' or 'to go'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the adverb 一直 (yīzhí) before 直走 emphasizes the continuous nature of the action, often translated as 'keep going straight'.
How do you pronounce it?
zhí zǒu
Did you know?
- In Chinese, the character 直 (zhí) is used for both 'straight' and 'frank'. Calling someone 直率 (zhíshuài) means they are honest and blunt, lacking any deceit.
- The adverb 一直 (yīzhí) used with 直走 can also be used in non-directional contexts to mean 'always' or 'all along', such as 'I have always been here'.
- In Chinese slang, 直 (zhí) is also used as a shorthand for 'straight' in terms of sexual orientation, mirroring the English use of the word.
Examples in context
- 沿着这条街直走。Go straight on down this street.The sentence is useful for describing how to move along a specific street using 直走.Tatoeba #476610 by fucongcong, translation #474090 by blay_paul
- 直走直到这条街道的尽头。Go straight on to the end of the road.The sentence is useful for specifying a destination point, such as the end of a road, while using 直走.Tatoeba #1266356 by Qian, translation #10641616 by sundown
- 沿着这条路直走，到第三个红绿灯的地方右转。Go straight down this street and turn right at the third light.The sentence is useful for providing directions that involve moving straight before a turn using 直走.Tatoeba #332470 by fucongcong, translation #57790 by CK
- 如果你不知道怎么走，就一直往前走。If you don't know how to get there, just keep going straight.
- 从这个红绿灯开始往前走，然后一直走到第三个十字路口。Start walking straight from this traffic light and keep going until the third intersection.
- 往前走大约五分钟，你会看到一个大公园。Walk straight for about five minutes, and you'll see a large park.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man is asking a woman for directions on the street.
- 俊杰 Junjie请问，超市怎么走？Qǐngwèn, chāoshì zěnme zǒu?Excuse me, how do I get to the supermarket?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你一直直走就可以了。Nǐ yīzhí zhí zǒu jiù kěyǐ le.You can just go straight ahead.
- 俊杰 Junjie要走很久吗？Yào zǒu hěnjiǔ ma?Does it take a long time to walk?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen不远，直走五分钟就到了。Bù yuǎn, zhí zǒu wǔ fēnzhōng jiù dào le.It's not far, just go straight for five minutes and you'll arrive.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
