怎么走？
zěnme zǒu?
How to get there?
How to say 'you're going the wrong way' in Chinese
你走反了。
nǐ zǒu fǎn le
You're going the wrong way
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
This is a statement with '了' indicating a change of state. '你' means 'you', '走' means 'walk/go', '反' means 'opposite/wrong direction', and '了' marks the completion of the action.
Variations and politeness
你走错了
nǐ zǒu cuò le
You went the wrong way. — More colloquial, using 'cuò' for 'wrong' instead of 'fǎn'.
你走的方向不对
nǐ zǒu de fāngxiàng bù duì
The direction you're going is not right. — More polite and indirect.
走错了
zǒu cuò le
Went the wrong way. — Shorter, omitting the subject 'you'.
Mini dialogue
A
请问，去车站怎么走？
qǐngwèn, qù chēzhàn zěnme zǒu?
Excuse me, how do I get to the station?
B
你走反了。
nǐ zǒu fǎn le
You're going the wrong way.
A
哦，感谢！
ó, gǎnxiè!
Oh, thanks!
When to use it
Appropriate
- When someone is walking in the opposite direction of their destination.
- When you want to politely correct someone's direction without sounding harsh.
Avoid when
- When someone is not moving but just asking for directions; use '你走的方向不对' to be more polite.
- When the person is going the right way but took a wrong turn earlier; '反' specifically means opposite direction, not just any mistake.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'You're going the wrong way' in Chinese?
You can say 'nǐ zǒu fǎn le' (你走反了). It literally means 'you walk opposite (direction) now'.
How do you pronounce 'nǐ zǒu fǎn le'?
Pronounce it as 'nee dzoh fahn luh'. The 'le' is a neutral tone particle indicating a change of state.
When do you use 'nǐ zǒu fǎn le'?
Use it when someone is heading in the exact opposite direction of where they want to go. It's direct but polite enough for everyday situations.
More phrases for this situation
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