Chinese word

往返

Pronunciation

Pinyinwǎng fǎn

Meaning

  • verbgo back and forth

Example

我每天都要往返公司。wǒ měi tiān dōu yào wáng fǎn gōng sī

I have to go back and forth to the company every day.

Illustration for 往返 (go back and forth)

More examples

为照顾病人，他在两地之间不断往返。wèi zhào gù bìng rén tā zài liǎng dì zhī jiān bú duàn wáng fǎn

To care for the sick person, he constantly travels back and forth between the two places.

Core concept

Movement from one place to another followed by movement back, forming one complete out-and-back journey.

Common phrases

  • 往返两地wáng fǎn liǎng dì

    travel back and forth between two places

  • 往返奔波wáng fǎn bēn bō

    rush back and forth

Similar words

来回lái huí: Go repeatedly between two places or points.
返回fǎn huí: Go back to the place of departure.
回来huí lái: Return toward the speaker or the place associated with the speaker.
回去huí qù: Return toward a place while moving away from the speaker.

Definition in Chinese

在两个地点或方向之间来回移动，也可指这一来回的路程或与之相关的车票、费用等名词性概念。zài liǎng gè dì diǎn huò fāng xiàng zhī jiān lái huí yí dòng yě kě zhǐ zhè yì lái huí de lù chéng huò yǔ zhī xiāng guān de chē piào fèi yòng děng míng cí xìng gài niàn

Word origin

往 (wǎng, "go toward") + 返 (fǎn, "return") combines outward movement and coming back into one complete journey.

Usage tips

  • English often uses "round trip" mainly for a journey or ticket type, whereas Chinese can use 往返 (wǎngfǎn, "go back and forth") as a verb for the travel itself.

Other meanings

  • round tripnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word