v.
To leave a place, departing from one's current location. To go to a destination; to remove or get rid of; to indicate a past time (e.g., last year).
去
Moving away from the speaker toward a destination or purpose.
去 is your directional compass pointing away from where you are now. You use it to travel to a place (去学校), do something there (去买东西), or show intent.
Common Usage & Traps
- 去学校 — go to school
- 去买东西 — go shopping
- 去哪里 — where are you going
- 去吃饭 — go have a meal
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我走学校我去学校走 describes the foot action of walking or leaving; it cannot take a destination noun directly.
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买东西去超市去超市买东西Chinese follows real-life timeline order: you must travel to the place before doing the action.
Can I use 走 instead of 去 to say 'I'm going to school'?
No. 去 takes a destination directly (去学校); 走 means the physical act of walking or leaving.
English translates both as 'go', but their jobs are completely separate. 去 acts like an arrow pointing at a target: 去北京, 去超市. 走 describes your feet moving on the pavement (走路) or the act of taking off (我们走吧!). Saying 我走学校 is like saying 'I walk-away school'—it cannot connect directly to a destination noun.
| Goal / Context | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Heading to a destination | 我去学校。(I'm going to school) | 我走学校。(broken grammar) |
| Saying let's leave / take off | 我们走吧！(Let's go / leave!) | 我们去吧！(means go to a place) |
| Walking on foot to school | 我走路去学校。(I walk to school) | 我走学校去。 |
Why is 'buy groceries go to supermarket' broken in Chinese?
Chinese sentences follow a movie camera timeline: go to the place first, then do the action.
In English, you can say 'I'm eating dinner at the diner' or 'I went shopping at the supermarket'. But Chinese arranges actions strictly in chronological order. First, your body travels to the store (去超市); second, you pick up items (买东西). So the pattern is always: 去 + Place + Action.
| Situation | Natural Timeline Order | English-Minded Trap |
|---|---|---|
| Eating out | 去饭店吃饭。(Go to restaurant, eat) | 吃饭去饭店。 |
| Seeing a doctor | 去医院看病。(Go to hospital, see doctor) | 看病去医院。 |
| Buying items | 去超市买东西。(Go to market, buy things) | 买东西去超市。 |
Where does 'where' go when asking someone where they are going?
Keep 'where' (哪里 / 哪儿) right where the destination belongs: 你去哪里？
In English, question words get yanked to the very front ('Where are you going?'). Chinese never moves question words around. You simply state the sentence normally (你去学校), and replace the destination word with 哪里 or 哪儿: 你去哪里? (You go where?).
| Context | Natural Order | English Inversion Trap |
|---|---|---|
| Asking destination (southern/formal) | 你去哪里？ | 哪里你去？ |
| Asking destination (northern casual) | 你去哪儿？ | 哪儿你去？ |
Appears in Stories 22 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Read about a work trip to Beijing where a group of colleagues takes a very large airplane. Practice weather words and actions in a simple travel story.
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上个星期，我们公司的六个人 去 北京开会。
This short, simple story follows a shopper's trip to the supermarket to buy apples. You'll learn useful vocabulary for shopping, prices, and comparing things.
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今天白天的时候，我 去 我家这边的超市买东西。
In this funny HSK 2 story, a boy asks his father for money every day. When his father tries to teach him a lesson, the boy's clever reply will make you laugh.
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我想再 去 买点儿吃的东西“。
In this dialogue, two people chat while waiting outside a cinema. You'll hear common phrases for talking about hobbies, sports, and movie preferences.
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她 去 洗手间了。
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我有时会 去 游泳。
Meet Dr. Mi, a doctor and teacher at Sichuan University. This simple HSK 1 story shows his daily routine from morning to night, helping you learn time expressions and everyday activities.
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他早上七点十分开车 去 学校，四十五分钟能到学校。
This heartwarming story shows how a small act of kindness can be passed on. Follow Gao Xianming as he learns an important lesson about generosity in his new city.
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他要 去 大学上课。
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高先明 去 坐车。
Meet Gao Youpeng, a friendly Beijing coworker who welcomes the narrator with local dishes and a simple language-exchange plan. This warm HSK 2 story is perfect for first readings about work and friendship.
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他也在中为公司工作，但是因为周一我来公司的时候，他 去 上海了，所以我没有看见他。
This heartwarming story reveals the quiet devotion of a father. As you read, notice the repeated actions and how a simple cup of tea becomes meaningful.
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一天晚上，大中 去 七号桌子前。
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现在，他 去 北京工作了。
Join a family on a sweltering Beijing Sunday as a boy learns a funny lesson about playing outside in the summer heat. Perfect for HSK 1 learners.
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我的儿子对我说：“爸爸，我想 去 学校玩儿“。
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我和我爱人在北京七月的下午两点，坐上车和儿子 去 学校。
Follow Dazhong, a busy worker in China, as he finds warmth and kindness at a small noodle shop. Practice everyday words for food, weather, and expressing gratitude.
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晚上，大中 去 公司前边的一个小饭店吃饭。
Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.
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前天有个朋友告诉我，要想了解老北京的文化，应该 去 老茶馆喝一次"大碗儿茶"。
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他说，现在喜欢 去 茶馆喝茶的老北京不很多了。
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
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我去年住在上海的时候， 去 一个汉语学校学习汉语，学了一个月。
A young man helps an old man look for his cat. But the real surprise is why the old man wanted to find the cat. Read on to learn about kindness and friendship.
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一天下午，白天明 去 三号房间看老先生。
This playful rhyme helps you learn family words in Chinese. Practice saying who's who with simple questions and answers!
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人人爱学习，天天 去 学校，上午读读书，下午写写字。
Enjoy this simple story about a patient and a mysterious apple. It shows how a small act of kindness can make someone feel at home, and you'll learn key words for feelings and daily life.
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马家友病好了，要 去 谢谢谢医生。
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马家友 去 二号房间找老先生。
Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.
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一天，胡之适邀请元真到他研究院的办公室 去 做客。
Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.
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想 去 睡觉说晚安！
Follow a day from waking at six-thirty to coming home at eight, then leap across days, months, and years. This simple story helps you practice speaking about routines and life changes with clear time words.
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上下午， 去 明年。
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上午九点 去 上班。
Meet Xiao Shang, who is heading back to Shanghai. She compares two ways to travel and tells us why she prefers the slower one. This story helps you practice comparing transportation in simple Chinese.
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坐火车比坐飞机便宜得多， 去 飞机场也要花很多时间，所以，小商觉得坐火车比坐飞机好。
Read this short story about people waiting in the rain for a new phone. You will practice numbers, time, and everyday vocabulary.
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晚上，我坐出租车 去 大学那边的苹果商店买手机。
In this easy story, you will follow a simple trip to the supermarket to buy apples. Practice numbers, question words, and nationalities in a real-life shopping context.
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今天 去 超市买东西。
Before you read, think about the questions you ask every day. This simple poem shows you how to ask age, price, time, and more in friendly Chinese.
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去 吃饭，在哪儿？
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要看病， 去 哪里？
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