Chinese word

沿着

Pronunciation

Pinyinyán zhe

Meaning

  • prepositionalong

Example

沿着河边走，就能看到那座桥。yán zhe hé biān zǒu jiù néng kàn dào nà zuò qiáo

If you walk along the riverbank, you can see that bridge.

Illustration for 沿着 (along)

More examples

公司沿着既定流程推进项目，避免混乱。gōng sī yán zhe jì dìng liú chéng tuī jìn xiàng mù bì miǎn hùn luàn

To avoid confusion, the company moved the project forward according to the established process.

Core concept

A route, edge, or line acts as a track that movement, extension, or distribution follows from one end toward the other.

Common phrases

  • 沿着马路yán zhe mǎ lù

    along the road

  • 沿着铁路yán zhe tiě lù

    along the railway

Similar words

沿yán: Following the side or course of something such as a road, river, or boundary.
顺着shùn zhe: Following a route, current, or lead to show the way an action proceeds.
朝cháo: In the direction of a person, place, or target that movement is approaching.
往wǎng: In the direction of a place or destination toward which movement proceeds.

Definition in Chinese

作介词，表示沿着某一条路线、界线或排列方向从一端向另一端进行或延伸，通常置于名词短语前并与表示移动、延展或分布的动词连用。zuò jiè cí biǎo shì yán zhe mǒu yì tiáo lù xiàn jiè xiàn huò pái liè fāng xiàng cóng yì duān xiàng lìng yì duān jìn xíng huò yán shēn tōng cháng zhì yú míng cí duán yǔ qián bìng yǔ biǎo shì yí dòng yán zhǎn huò fēn bù de dòng cí lián yòng

Word origin

沿着 (yánzhe, "along") combines 沿 (yán, "follow along an edge or course") with 着 (zhe, "continuing state marker"), forming a preposition for continuing on a stated route or line.

Usage tips

  • English often uses "along" for either location or movement, while this Chinese pattern most clearly sets up a route for an action or an arrangement to follow.

Other meanings

  • along the routepreposition

Opposites

  • 逆着nì zheagainstpreposition

Related words

Word lists with this word