往 (wǎng) is a Chinese character meaning “to go toward”. It is written from 彳 (a short step; the “double-person” left side) and 主 (master; owner; host), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “to go toward”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
彳 + 主
Left–right structure
Structure from: hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（现代字形拆分：彳3 画 + 主5 画 = 8 画）
Memory aid
彳 is the step radical on the left — two short strides. 主 on the right is the host. You take step after step toward the host: 往, to go toward.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 往返wǎng fǎnto go back and forth; round trip往 = wǎngspoken aswáng fǎnHSK 5
- 来往lái wǎngto come and go; contact; dealings往 = wǎngHSK 4
- 既往jì wǎngthe past; bygones往 = wǎng
Go deeper
All readings
to go toward
to go toward; toward; in the direction of; past, former
去；朝某个方向。也指过去的、从前的。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 往返wǎng fǎnto go back and forth; round trip往 = wǎngspoken aswáng fǎnHSK 5
- 来往lái wǎngto come and go; contact; dealings往 = wǎngHSK 4
- 既往jì wǎngthe past; bygones往 = wǎng
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 往 mean?
往 (wǎng) means to go toward; toward; in the direction of; past, former.
How do you pronounce 往?
It is pronounced wǎng.
What parts is 往 made of?
彳 (a short step; the “double-person” left side) and 主 (master; owner; host), side by side. The recorded source is: hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（现代字形拆分：彳3 画 + 主5 画 = 8 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 往 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 往?
彳. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 往?
Common ones are 往返 and 来往. The reading of 往 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.