Go in Chinese: Meaning, Grammar, and Examples

In Chinese, the word “go” is expressed as 去 (qù), a common verb used to indicate movement or direction. This guide explains how to use 去 in daily conversation — from basic grammar and sentence structures to pronunciation tips and practical examples for learners at all levels.

I. What Does Go in Chinese Mean?

The most common and widely used word for “go” in Chinese is the character 去 (qù). This is a directional verb that means “to go” or “to go to (a place)”, and it's one of the most essential verbs you'll encounter early in your Mandarin learning journey.

In Chinese, 去 (qù) indicates movement away from the speaker's current position toward another location. It’s used in both spoken and written language, typically to express a person’s intent to go somewhere or take action.

Example (English logic):
I go to school → 我去学校。
Literally: I + go + school.

Pinyin and Pronunciation

• Pinyin: qù
• Tone: Fourth tone (falling)
• Pronunciation tips:
  • The “q” sounds somewhat like “ch” in “cheese”, but lighter and with more airflow.
  • The “ü” is a front-rounded vowel — similar to the German "ü" or French "u", but it's not written with the dots in qù because “q” always pairs with ü in pinyin rules.
  • The tone is quick and sharp, as the fourth tone descends from high to low.

You can listen to the pronunciation on most dictionary apps like Pleco or Forvo by searching for “去”.

Basic Examples with “Go” in Chinese

These examples illustrate how “去” is used with subjects, other verbs (like 想 = want), and in common everyday contexts. In the next section, we’ll explore how to use “go” more deeply through sentence structures and grammar rules.

1. Grammar Rules of Go in Chinese

Understanding how to use 去 (qù) correctly is essential for forming natural and grammatically correct sentences in Mandarin. Although the word simply means “go,” it follows specific sentence patterns and often interacts with other elements like places, actions, and time expressions.

Basic Sentence Pattern – Subject + 去 + Place

This is the most straightforward and commonly used structure. Structure:

Subject + 去 + Place

Examples:

The noun after 去 indicates the destination. You can also add time or adverbs before the verb.

Using 去 with Verbs or Activities

“去” can also precede another verb or activity phrase, especially when you’re indicating going somewhere to do something. Structure:

Subject + 去 + Verb / Activity Phrase

Examples:

Notice how the verb after 去 tells us the purpose of “going”.

Tense and Time Expressions with 去

Even though Chinese verbs don't change form for tense, time is often made clear through contextual words like “yesterday,” “tomorrow,” or “already.”

Examples:

• Use 了 (le) to indicate past action.
• Use 要 (yào) or 会 (huì) to indicate intended or future actions.
• Use 正在 to describe action in progress, though that's less common with 去.

With these patterns, you can build a wide range of functional sentences using "go" in Chinese, from basic statements to more descriptive actions across different tenses. 

2. Common Sentence Structures Using “Go in Chinese”

As you progress in your Chinese learning journey, you'll see that “go” in Chinese (去 qù) appears in a wide variety of sentence structures. From simple directions to more nuanced expressions of time, purpose, or action — mastering how to use 去 fluently is a key part of developing everyday communication skills.

Below are two levels of common sentence patterns, aligned with proficiency goals in HSK.

Everyday Situations (HSK 1–2 Level)

These sentences focus on the place someone is going or basic activities, often with a clear subject + verb + object structure.

Patterns to notice:

• Use of time word before the verb (今天, 下午)
• Use of 助动词 (xiǎng: want, yào: will) for intention
• “去哪儿？” is a typical beginner question used in daily conversations

Intermediate Contexts (HSK 3–4 Level)

At this stage, learners begin using more layered sentence structures, combining 去 with modifiers, destinations, reasons, or verb complements.

Key skills at this level:

• Collocations with adverbs of frequency (每天, 刚才)
• Verb phrases showing action + purpose (e.g. 去看爷爷奶奶)
• Integration with connective words like 因为, so you can describe reasons for or against going

Practicing these sentence patterns will make it easier to apply “go” in Chinese to real-life situations — from giving directions, making weekend plans, to expressing intentions and reasons.

II. Related Words and Synonyms of “Go in Chinese”

The verb 去 (qù) is not the only word that expresses “go” in Mandarin. Chinese has a rich set of directional verbs and movement-related expressions that carry different nuances depending on the direction, context, and formality of the situation.

In this section, we’ll explore the most common words related to "go", analyze how they differ from 去, and introduce synonyms used in both everyday speech and formal writing.

Key Verb Comparison: 去 vs 来 vs 回

Understanding when to use 去 (qù), 来 (lái), or 回 (huí) comes down to the direction of movement and the speaker’s point of reference.

Summary:

• 来 (lái) = movement toward the speaker
• 去 (qù) = movement away from the speaker
• 回 (huí) = movement back to a familiar/original place

Using these verbs correctly is especially important in spoken Chinese, where perspective and context affect how movement is expressed.

Advanced Synonyms and Formal Variants of “Go” in Chinese

When writing or speaking in more formal contexts—such as in announcements, business writing, or HSK-level texts—you may encounter alternatives to 去 that express movement with more specificity or professionalism.

Usage tips:

• 出发 is frequently seen in travel-related contexts: buses, trains, itineraries.
• 离开 usually implies emotional or physical detachment.
• 前往 is commonly used in written Chinese: signage, news, official communication.
• 移动 is used both physically and digitally (e.g. moving a phone, shifting location).

Mastering synonyms and context-specific verbs for “go” improves both your spoken fluency and your reading comprehension — especially as you progress toward reading news articles or writing formal texts in Chinese.

“Go” in Chinese may start with a single word — 去 (qù) — but it opens the door to understanding direction, perspective, and motion in the language. So say it once, try it in a sentence, build it into your conversations, and follow PREP to dive deeper with tools that help you speak Mandarin with clarity and confidence.