走
to walk; to leave; to go
zǒu
What does 走 mean?
走 (zǒu) covers what English splits into 'walk,' 'leave,' and sometimes 'go.' Three uses every learner needs. First, the literal motion: 走路 ('to walk,' on foot), as opposed to driving or taking transit. Second, 'to leave / depart from a place': 我要走了 = 'I'm leaving / I have to go' (not 'I'm walking').
Third, 'let's go / move' as a casual call to action: 走吧！ Two contrasts to keep clear. Versus 去 (qù, 'to go to'): 去 needs a destination (去学校), while 走 emphasizes the act of going/leaving and often has no stated destination. Versus 跑 (pǎo, 'to run'): 走 is on foot at walking pace; 跑 is running. 走 also appears in many compounds: 走开 ('move aside'), 走进 ('walk in'), 带走
Character breakdown
to walk; to go; to leave
Memory hook: 走 originally pictured a person leaning forward in motion — the upper part is a swinging body, the lower part is the foot.
Example sentences
我们走吧！
Wǒmen zǒu ba!
Let's go!
spoken
我每天走路去学校。
Wǒ měi tiān zǒulù qù xuéxiào.
I walk to school every day.
neutral
他已经走了。
Tā yǐjīng zǒu le.
He's already left.
spoken
对不起，我得走了。
Duìbuqǐ, wǒ děi zǒu le.
Sorry, I have to go.
spoken
请走开，我在工作。
Qǐng zǒukāi, wǒ zài gōngzuò.
Please move aside, I'm working.
neutral
Common phrases with 走
Synonyms
Don't confuse 走 with
跑 means 'to run.' 走 is walking pace. 他跑得很快 = 'he runs fast' vs 他走得很慢 = 'he walks slowly.'
去 + place = go to that place. 走 alone usually means leave/walk, not go-to-a-destination. 'I'm going home' = 我回家 / 我去家 (less natural), NOT 我走家.
走着 (with 着) marks the ongoing state 'while walking,' often in 走着说
FAQ
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