Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 走路 | zǒulù | /t͡soʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ lu⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /t͡səu⁵³ nu²¹³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 走 | zǒu | /t͡soʊ̯²¹⁴/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /t͡səu⁵³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 步行 | bùxíng | /pu⁵¹ ɕiŋ³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /pou̯²² hɐŋ²¹/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 行走 | xíngzǒu | /ɕiŋ³⁵ t͡soʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /hɐŋ²¹ t͡sɐu̯³⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 行 | kiâⁿ | /kiã¹³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Singapore, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese) /kiã²³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Singapore, Sinological IPA, Kaohsiung, General Taiwanese) |
Hokkien |
| 行路 | kiâⁿ-lō͘ | /kiã¹³⁻²² lɔ²²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Singapore, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese) /kiã²³⁻³³ lɔ³³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Singapore, Sinological IPA, Kaohsiung, General Taiwanese) |
Hokkien |
The verb 'to walk' can be expressed through several different terms depending on whether you are describing the physical mechanics of movement, a formal mode of transport or walking for pleasure. While 走路 focuses on the physical act of using one's feet, other terms like 散步 or 漫步 are used when the walk is specifically intended for leisure or a stroll.
Which one should you use?
The single character 走 can mean both 'to walk' and 'to leave' or 'to depart' depending on the context of your sentence. In contrast, 走路 specifically refers to the physical act of walking and avoids the ambiguity of 'leaving'. If you want to describe walking for pleasure or exercise rather than just the mechanics of movement, use 散步.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
步行 is the formal or technical term used for 'moving on foot', often seen in contexts like official transportation modes or 'walking distance'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hokkien, the character 行 (kiâⁿ) is used to mean 'to walk'. Additionally, in Dungan, the word зу (zu) is used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Reduplicating the verb 走 to form 走走 indicates a casual, brief or relaxed action, similar to 'taking a stroll' or 'walking a bit'.
How do you pronounce it?
zǒulù (IPA: /tsoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ lu⁵¹/)
Did you know?
- The character 走 originally depicted a running man rather than someone walking. A foot component, 止, was added to the design later to enhance its meaning.
Examples in context
- 你們能走嗎？Can you walk?This sentence is useful for asking about the ability to walk using 走.Tatoeba #3713827 by egg0073, translation #1453950 by Spamster
- 我们走走吧。Let's walk.This sentence is useful for suggesting a casual walk using 走.Tatoeba #5897892 by verdastelo9604, translation #2007935 by CK
- 汤姆能走路。Tom can walk.This sentence is useful for stating a capability using 走.Tatoeba #10260810 by GlossaMatik, translation #2236150 by CK
- 我们可以步行去公园吗？(Wǒmen kěyǐ bùxíng qù gōngyuán ma?)Can we walk to the park?
- 她每天晚上散步来放松自己。(Tā měitiān wǎnshàng sànbù lái fàngsōng zìjǐ.)She walks every evening to relax herself.
- 110 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing how to get to a nearby park.
- 雨婷 Yuting我们走路去公园吧。Wǒmen zǒulù qù gōngyuán ba.Let's walk to the park.
- 志强 Zhiqiang太远了，我们坐车吧。Tài yuǎn le, wǒmen zuò chē ba.It's too far, let's take a car.
- 雨婷 Yuting可是我想走路锻炼一下。Kěshì wǒ xiǎng zǒulù duànliàn yīxià.But I want to walk to get some exercise.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好吧，听你的。Hǎo ba, tīng nǐ de.Okay, we'll do it your way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “walk” translations and entries 走路, 走, 步行, 行走, 行, 行路, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 行, 走, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
