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沿着 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
沿着yánzheto go alongHSK 6, unknown, 19 strokes, rank #4044, Hard
沿着yánzheto followHSK 6, unknown, 19 strokes, rank #4044, Hard
yánzhe(yan2zhe5) T2
  1. 1to go along
  2. 2to follow
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March 24, 2026

沿着(沿著)yánzhe(yan2zhe5)

沿着 (yán zhe) means 'to go along' or 'to follow' a certain path or direction. It is commonly used when giving directions or describing movement alongside something, like a road or river. The nuance often implies a continuous or linear motion in relation to a defined boundary.

Strokes19Frequency#4044DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, many traditional practices and activities, such as walking along a riverbank or visiting scenic routes, emphasize the appreciation of nature and the environment, making '沿着' a useful term in travel and exploration contexts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a river flowing alongside a path. As you walk '沿着' the edge of the river, you are 'yán' (like 'yarn' winding along) your way 'zhe' (think of a 'jacket' that you wear while walking along). The image of yarn winding along the river helps recall both the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 沿着

yánzhe(yan2zhe5)
1to go along
2to follow
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About 沿着

沿着Simplified
沿著Traditional
19Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 沿着

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Podcast: 沿着

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AI Study Notes for 沿着

Quick Contrast

沿着 (yánzhe) vs 沿 (yán) — use 沿着 when emphasizing the action of moving along a path, while 沿 can indicate a more static relationship to the boundary.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse '沿着' with similar phrases like '跟着' (gēn zhe), which means 'to follow' in a more abstract sense. '沿着' is more physical and directional. It’s more commonly used in informal contexts, but can be used in formal directions as well.

HSK Study Tips

While '沿着' is not an HSK word, it can be related to directional words and phrases often studied at the beginner level. Students should focus on the context of movement and direction and practice using it in sentences about traveling or navigating spaces.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use '沿着' in contexts where '跟着' (gēn zhe) would be more appropriate, such as saying '沿着他走' (go along him) instead of '跟着他走' (follow him). Always remember '沿着' is for physical paths.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 沿着

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Component Characters

沿yánalong
HSK 58 strokes氵
View full entry
着zheaspect particle indicating action in progress
HSK 211 strokes目
View full entry

How to say to go along in Chinese

“to go along” in Chinese is沿着yánzhe

沿着 (yán zhe) means 'to go along' or 'to follow' a certain path or direction. It is commonly used when giving directions or describing movement alongside something, like a road or river. The nuance often implies a continuous or linear motion in relation to a defined boundary.

When to use 沿着

Be careful not to confuse '沿着' with similar phrases like '跟着' (gēn zhe), which means 'to follow' in a more abstract sense. '沿着' is more physical and directional. It’s more commonly used in informal contexts, but can be used in formal directions as well.

沿着 or something close to it

沿着 (yánzhe) vs 沿 (yán) — use 沿着 when emphasizing the action of moving along a path, while 沿 can indicate a more static relationship to the boundary.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use '沿着' in contexts where '跟着' (gēn zhe) would be more appropriate, such as saying '沿着他走' (go along him) instead of '跟着他走' (follow him). Always remember '沿着' is for physical paths.

Write 沿着

沿
着

Practice writing 沿着 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 沿着

No, '沿着' is primarily used for physical paths or directions, not for abstract concepts.

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