HSK 7
顺着
shùn zhe
顺着 (shùn zhe) – Along, following
Explanation
顺着 (shùnzhe) is a preposition (a word placed before a noun indicating a relationship: at, with, along...), meaning "following, along." It introduces the direction, path, or surface along which an action proceeds. 着 (zhe) here is a particle (a function word added to express a grammatical meaning, with no meaning of its own) attached to 顺 to form the preposition.
顺着 (shùnzhe) + noun indicating path/direction/surface + verb (e.g. 顺着这条路走 = walk along this road; 顺着头发滴 = drip down along the hair).
Use when a movement or flow proceeds along a certain route/surface; usable in both spoken and written language. By extension it can indicate "going along with" a sequence or opinion.
顺着 emphasizes going along the entire length of a route; whereas 沿着 (yánzhe) is very close in meaning but leans toward "along the edge/rim" and is more formal; 朝着 (cháozhe) means "facing toward" rather than going along.
Dropping 着 and using 顺 alone as a preposition (it usually must be 顺着); confusing 顺着 with 顺便 (shùnbiàn = while at it) because they share the character 顺.
Examples
The rainwater trickled down along my hair.
Let's just walk along this road and see where it takes us.
Practice
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Learn “顺着” effectively
The grammar point “顺着” (顺着 (shùn zhe) – Along, following) is one of the key structures at HSK 7. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
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