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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'coming and going' with 往来 (wǎnglái)

    Direction & Movement
    Frequency & Habit

    Structure

    往来 + Noun / Place + 往来 + Person

    Explanation

    往来 (wǎnglái) means "coming and going," "to and fro," or "contact" and describes movement in both directions or interactions between people. It combines 往 (to go) with 来 (to come). In classical poetry, it can describe the bustle of people traveling back and forth, while in modern Chinese it also means social interactions or dealings.

    Examples

    • 这条街上人来人往,非常热闹。

      Zhè tiáo jiē shàng rén lái rén wǎng, fēicháng rènao.

      This street is bustling with people coming and going.

    • 两家公司之间的商业往来越来越频繁。

      Liǎng jiā gōngsī zhījiān de shāngyè wǎnglái yuè lái yuè pínfán.

      Business dealings between the two companies are becoming more and more frequent.

    • 我跟他已经没什么往来了,好几年没联系了。

      Wǒ gēn tā yǐjīng méi shénme wǎnglái le, hǎo jǐ nián méi liánxì le.

      I don't really have any contact with him anymore — we haven't been in touch for years.

    Expressing 'coming and going' with 往来 (wǎnglái) | Chinese Grammar