lǚxíng: 旅行 - Travel, Trip, Journey

• Keywords: lǚxíng, 旅行, travel in Chinese, Chinese word for trip, journey in Chinese, HSK 3 vocabulary, how to say travel in Mandarin, Chinese for travelers, lǚyóu vs lǚxíng
• Summary: Learn how to use the essential Chinese word 旅行 (lǚxíng), which means “to travel” or “a trip.” This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage for beginners. Discover the crucial difference between 旅行 (lǚxíng) and 旅游 (lǚyóu) to speak like a native, and explore a wealth of example sentences to master your Chinese travel vocabulary.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): lǚxíng
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To travel; a trip, a journey.
• In a Nutshell: 旅行 (lǚxíng) is the general, all-purpose Chinese word for traveling. It encompasses the entire experience of a journey, from planning to returning home. Think of it as the broad concept of “travel,” whether it's for backpacking, a family vacation, or self-discovery. It often carries a sense of personal experience and exploration.

• 旅 (lǚ): This character originally depicted people under a banner or flag, suggesting a group traveling together, like an army brigade or a caravan. Today, its primary meaning is “trip” or “travel.”
• 行 (xíng): This character is a pictograph of a crossroads, meaning “to walk,” “to go,” or “to act/perform.” It's one of the most fundamental characters related to movement.

When combined, 旅行 (lǚxíng) literally means “to journey by going/walking.” It captures the essence of moving from one place to another, emphasizing the process and the experience of the journey itself.

Historically, extensive travel in China was a serious undertaking, often reserved for scholars, officials on imperial duty, or merchants. The famous proverb 读万卷书，不如行万里路 (dú wàn juàn shū, bùrú xíng wàn lǐ lù) — “Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles” — highlights the deep cultural value placed on experiential learning through travel. Travel was seen as a way to truly understand the world and oneself. In modern China, with the economic boom and the development of high-speed rail and air travel, 旅行 (lǚxíng) has become a central part of life for the growing middle class. It's a symbol of status, a way to relax, and an important activity for family bonding. Compared to the English word “travel,” 旅行 is very similar in its general sense. However, its cultural weight is slightly different. While in the West, a “trip” can be a casual weekend getaway, 旅行 in China often implies a more significant, planned journey. It's often discussed in the context of life goals, such as a “graduation trip” (毕业旅行, bìyè lǚxíng) or a “honeymoon trip” (蜜月旅行, mìyuè lǚxíng), marking important life transitions.

旅行 is an extremely common word used in everyday conversation, on social media, and in formal contexts.

• As a Verb: It's used to describe the action of traveling.
• 我明年想去欧洲旅行。 (Wǒ míngnián xiǎng qù Ōuzhōu lǚxíng.) - I want to travel to Europe next year.
• As a Noun: It's used to refer to the trip or journey itself.
• 这次旅行怎么样？ (Zhè cì lǚxíng zěnmeyàng?) - How was this trip?
• Social Media: Chinese social media is filled with posts about 旅行. Users share photos and stories from their travels, often using hashtags like #旅行日记 (lǚxíng rìjì - travel diary) or #说走就走的旅行 (shuō zǒu jiù zǒu de lǚxíng - a spontaneous trip).
• Connotation: The word carries a positive and slightly adventurous connotation. It focuses more on the personal experience and the journey, rather than just the tourist activities.

• Example 1:
• 我非常喜欢旅行。
• Pinyin: Wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān lǚxíng.
• English: I really like to travel.
• Analysis: A simple and direct sentence to express your hobby. This uses 旅行 as a verb.
• Example 2:
• 你计划什么时候去旅行？
• Pinyin: Nǐ jìhuà shénme shíhòu qù lǚxíng?
• English: When are you planning to go travel?
• Analysis: A common question when discussing future plans. `去旅行 (qù lǚxíng)` is a very common structure, literally “to go travel.”
• Example 3:
• 这次去北京的旅行非常有意思。
• Pinyin: Zhè cì qù Běijīng de lǚxíng fēicháng yǒu yìsi.
• English: This trip to Beijing was very interesting.
• Analysis: Here, 旅行 is used as a noun, modified by `这次 (zhè cì - this time)` and `去北京的 (qù Běijīng de - to Beijing)`.
• Example 4:
• 他们正在为他们的蜜月旅行做准备。
• Pinyin: Tāmen zhèngzài wèi tāmen de mìyuè lǚxíng zuò zhǔnbèi.
• English: They are preparing for their honeymoon trip.
• Analysis: This shows how 旅行 can be combined with other nouns like `蜜月 (mìyuè - honeymoon)` to describe a specific type of trip.
• Example 5:
• 一个人旅行可以帮助你更好地了解自己。
• Pinyin: Yí ge rén lǚxíng kěyǐ bāngzhù nǐ gèng hǎo de liǎojiě zìjǐ.
• English: Traveling alone can help you understand yourself better.
• Analysis: This sentence touches on the deeper, more philosophical aspect of travel often associated with 旅行.
• Example 6:
• 我们决定来一场说走就走的旅行。
• Pinyin: Wǒmen juédìng lái yī chǎng shuō zǒu jiù zǒu de lǚxíng.
• English: We decided to go on a spontaneous trip.
• Analysis: `说走就走 (shuō zǒu jiù zǒu)` is a popular idiom meaning “to leave at a moment's notice.” The measure word for a trip is `场 (chǎng)`.
• Example 7:
• 你的旅行预算是多少？
• Pinyin: Nǐ de lǚxíng yùsuàn shì duōshǎo?
• English: What is your travel budget?
• Analysis: A practical question. 旅行 is used here as a noun to specify the type of `预算 (yùsuàn - budget)`.
• Example 8:
• 毕业旅行是很多学生期待的活动。
• Pinyin: Bìyè lǚxíng shì hěn duō xuéshēng qīdài de huódòng.
• English: A graduation trip is an activity that many students look forward to.
• Analysis: `毕业旅行 (bìyè lǚxíng)` is a rite of passage for many Chinese students, marking the end of an era.
• Example 9:
• 他用一年的时间旅行了十个国家。
• Pinyin: Tā yòng yī nián de shíjiān lǚxíng le shí ge guójiā.
• English: He spent one year traveling to ten countries.
• Analysis: This sentence uses 旅行 as a verb with the particle `了 (le)` to indicate the completion of the action.
• Example 10:
• 旅行不只是看风景，更是体验不同的文化。
• Pinyin: Lǚxíng bù zhǐshì kàn fēngjǐng, gèng shì tǐyàn bùtóng de wénhuà.
• English: Travel is not just about seeing scenery, it's even more about experiencing different cultures.
• Analysis: This sentence perfectly encapsulates the deep meaning of 旅行, distinguishing it from simple sightseeing.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 旅行 (lǚxíng) and 旅游 (lǚyóu). They both translate to “travel” but have different focuses.

• 旅行 (lǚxíng) - Travel/Journey:
  • Focus: The entire process and experience of the journey.
  • Purpose: Can be for any reason (leisure, work, study, self-discovery, backpacking).
  • Feeling: More personal, adventurous, experiential.
  • Example: 毕业旅行 (bìyè lǚxíng) - A graduation trip is about the shared experience with friends, not just the sights.
• 旅游 (lǚyóu) - Tourism/Sightseeing:
  • Focus: The destination and leisure activities (visiting attractions, shopping, relaxing).
  • Purpose: Almost exclusively for leisure and fun.
  • Feeling: More like a “tourist” on “vacation.”
  • Example: 黄金周旅游 (huángjīnzhōu lǚyóu) - Golden Week tourism is about visiting famous, often crowded, tourist spots.

Key Rule of Thumb: All 旅游 (lǚyóu) is a type of 旅行 (lǚxíng), but not all 旅行 (lǚxíng) is 旅游 (lǚyóu). Incorrect Usage:

• Wrong: 我去北京旅游出差。 (Wǒ qù Běijīng lǚyóu chūchāi.)
• Why it's wrong: `旅游 (lǚyóu)` is for leisure, while `出差 (chūchāi)` is a business trip. The purposes conflict.
• Correct: 我去北京出差。 (Wǒ qù Běijīng chūchāi.) Or, if you did some sightseeing on the side, you could say: 我这次去北京出差，顺便也旅游了一下。(Wǒ zhè cì qù Běijīng chūchāi, shùnbiàn yě lǚyóu le yíxià. - I went to Beijing on a business trip this time and also did a bit of sightseeing on the side.)

• 旅游 (lǚyóu) - Tourism, sightseeing. The act of traveling specifically for pleasure and visiting attractions.
• 出差 (chūchāi) - A business trip. The specific term for work-related travel.
• 度假 (dùjià) - To go on vacation, to take a holiday. Often implies relaxing at a resort.
• 游客 (yóukè) - Tourist. A person on `旅游`.
• 旅客 (lǚkè) - Traveler, passenger. A more general term for a person on a `旅行` or using transport.
• 行程 (xíngchéng) - Itinerary. The planned route and schedule for a trip.
• 背包客 (bēibāokè) - Backpacker. A type of traveler often associated with a more adventurous style of `旅行`.
• 假期 (jiàqī) - Vacation, holiday period (e.g., summer vacation, national holiday).
• 环游世界 (huányóu shìjiè) - To travel around the world. The ultimate `旅行`.