HSK 5

往返

wǎng fǎn

to go back and forth; to go to and fro; to do a round trip

HSK 5 — —

Character Breakdown

往

wǎng · to go

Radical: 彳 · 8strokes

Stroke order animation for 往

返

fǎn · to restore, to return, to revert to

Radical: 辶 · 7strokes

Stroke order animation for 返

Usage of "往返"

"往返" is commonly used to describe traveling back and forth between two locations, often implying a round trip. It can refer to physical movement, such as commuting or traveling, or metaphorically to going between two states or situations.

Common Collocations

  • "往返票": round-trip ticket, used when buying transportation tickets that cover both directions.
  • "往返路程": the journey back and forth, emphasizing the entire trip.
  • "往返时间": the time spent going back and forth.

Nuances

When using "往返", the focus is on the complete cycle of going and returning. It is more formal and specific than simply saying "去" (to go) or "回来" (to come back). It often appears in contexts related to travel, commuting, or logistics.

Common Confusion

Do not confuse "往返" with "来回"; both can mean round trip, but "往返" is more formal and often used in written or official contexts, while "来回" is more colloquial.

Summary

Use "往返" when emphasizing the round-trip nature of travel or movement between two points, especially in formal or written Chinese.

Example Sentences

我每天都要往返公司和家里，花费不少时间。

Wǒ měitiān dōu yào wǎngfǎn gōngsī hé jiālǐ, huāfèi bù shǎo shíjiān.

I have to go back and forth between the company and home every day, which

这张机票是往返票，包含去程和回程。

Zhè zhāng jīpiào shì wǎngfǎn piào, bāohán qùchéng hé huíchéng.

This plane ticket is a round-trip ticket, including both the outbound and

他在两地之间往返，处理工作和家庭的事情。

Tā zài liǎng dì zhī jiān wǎngfǎn, chǔlǐ gōngzuò hé jiātíng de shìqíng.

He goes back and forth between two places, handling work and family matters.