yóuxíng: 游行 - Parade, March, Demonstration

• Keywords: 游行, youxing, Chinese parade, Chinese march, Chinese protest, demonstration in Chinese, what does youxing mean, how to say parade in Chinese, festive parade, protest march, political demonstration.
• Summary: Learn the versatile Chinese word 游行 (yóuxíng), which means parade, march, or demonstration. This page explores its dual meaning, from joyful holiday parades with floats to serious protest marches. Discover how 游行 is used in China, its cultural significance related to social stability, and how to use it correctly in conversation, distinguishing it from a simple walk.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yóuxíng
• Part of Speech: Noun / Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: An organized procession of people walking together in public for a shared purpose, such as a parade, march, or demonstration.
• In a Nutshell: 游行 (yóuxíng) is the go-to word for any event where a group of people moves along a route in public. Think of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a Pride march, or a political demonstration—all of these fall under the umbrella of 游行. The key elements are a group, organized movement, and a public setting. The specific feeling—celebratory or confrontational—depends entirely on the context.

• 游 (yóu): This character means “to travel,” “to roam,” or “to swim.” The left side, 氵, is the water radical, evoking a sense of fluid, free-flowing movement.
• 行 (xíng): This character means “to walk,” “to go,” or “to carry out.” It pictorially represents a crossroads, symbolizing movement from one place to another.
• When combined, 游行 (yóuxíng) literally means “roaming walk.” This beautifully captures the image of a procession snaking its way through city streets, moving with a collective purpose.

The concept of 游行 (yóuxíng) in China carries a significant duality that reflects core cultural values, particularly the balance between collective celebration and social stability. 1. The Celebratory, State-Sanctioned Parade: In China, the most prominent examples of 游行 are massive, highly-choreographed state parades, especially during National Day (国庆节). These are not just celebrations; they are powerful displays of national unity, strength, and collective pride. They feature military processions (阅兵, yuèbīng) and civilian pageants, all perfectly synchronized. This type of 游行 reinforces the cultural value of collectivism and patriotism, showcasing a harmonious and powerful nation. 2. The Protest March and Social Stability: Compared to Western countries where protests and marches are common forms of expression protected by law, unsanctioned public demonstrations (游行示威, yóuxíng shìwēi) are rare and politically sensitive in modern Mainland China. The government prioritizes 社会稳定 (shèhuì wěndìng), or “social stability,” above almost all else. A public protest is often seen as a potential disruption to this harmony. Therefore, while the word 游行 is used to describe protests, its application in a mainland context is far more fraught with meaning than a typical “march” in the U.S. or Europe. News reports will frequently use 游行 to describe protests happening in other countries, but rarely within China itself.

How you hear 游行 used depends heavily on the context. In a Positive or Neutral Context (Common): This is the most frequent usage in daily life. It refers to festive, cultural, or school-related events.

• 节日游行 (jiérì yóuxíng): Holiday parade
• 花车游行 (huāchē yóuxíng): Parade with floats (literally “flower car parade”)
• 庆祝游行 (qìngzhù yóuxíng): Celebration parade

In a Serious or Political Context (Formal/News): This usage typically refers to political demonstrations or protests. It is often paired with 示威 (shìwēi), meaning “to demonstrate (one's power/position).”

• 抗议游行 (kàngyì yóuxíng): Protest march
• 游行示威 (yóuxíng shìwēi): The full, formal term for a protest march or demonstration.
• This form is what you would see in news headlines describing events in Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Western countries.

• Example 1:
  • 我们下午去看节日游行吧！
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xiàwǔ qù kàn jiérì yóuxíng ba!
  • English: Let's go watch the holiday parade this afternoon!
  • Analysis: A simple, common, and positive use of the word. 游行 here clearly means a celebratory parade.
• Example 2:
  • 成千上万的民众参加了这次游行。
  • Pinyin: Chéng qiān shàng wàn de mínzhòng cānjiā le zhè cì yóuxíng.
  • English: Thousands upon thousands of people participated in this march/parade.
  • Analysis: This sentence is neutral. Without more context, it could be a massive celebration or a huge protest. The scale is emphasized by `成千上万`.
• Example 3:
  • 新闻里报道了国外的一场大规模游行示威活动。
  • Pinyin: Xīnwén li bàodào le guówài de yī chǎng dàguīmó yóuxíng shìwēi huódòng.
  • English: The news reported on a large-scale demonstration abroad.
  • Analysis: Here, the combination 游行示威 (yóuxíng shìwēi) specifically means a political demonstration or protest. Note the common pattern of it being used to describe events happening `国外` (overseas).
• Example 4:
  • 每年国庆节，天安门广场都有盛大的游行和阅兵。
  • Pinyin: Měi nián Guóqìngjié, Tiān'ānmén Guǎngchǎng dōu yǒu shèngdà de yóuxíng hé yuèbīng.
  • English: Every National Day, Tiananmen Square has a grand parade and military review.
  • Analysis: This refers to the official, state-sanctioned parades in China. `盛大` (shèngdà) means grand or magnificent.
• Example 5:
  • 学生们组织了一次和平游行，要求改善食堂的伙食。
  • Pinyin: Xuéshēngmen zǔzhī le yī cì hépíng yóuxíng, yāoqiú gǎishàn shítáng de huǒshí.
  • English: The students organized a peaceful march, demanding an improvement in the cafeteria food.
  • Analysis: This shows 游行 used on a smaller, more local scale. `和平` (hépíng - peaceful) is often added to clarify the nature of the march.
• Example 6:
  • 因为下大雨，明天的万圣节游行取消了。
  • Pinyin: Yīnwèi xià dàyǔ, míngtiān de Wànshèngjié yóuxíng qǔxiāo le.
  • English: Because of the heavy rain, tomorrow's Halloween parade has been canceled.
  • Analysis: A very practical, everyday example related to a Western holiday celebrated in China.
• Example 7:
  • 市中心的主要街道因为游行活动被关闭了。
  • Pinyin: Shì zhōngxīn de zhǔyào jiēdào yīnwèi yóuxíng huódòng bèi guānbì le.
  • English: The main streets in the city center have been closed due to the parade/march.
  • Analysis: `被 (bèi)` indicates the passive voice. The streets “have been closed.” This is a common announcement you might see or hear.
• Example 8:
  • 他们正在为争取工人权利而游行。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen zhèngzài wèi zhēngqǔ gōngrén quánlì ér yóuxíng.
  • English: They are marching to fight for workers' rights.
  • Analysis: Here, 游行 is used as a verb. The structure `为…而… (wèi…ér…)` means “in order to/for the purpose of…”.
• Example 9:
  • 你觉得我们应该参加反战游行吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ juéde wǒmen yīnggāi cānjiā fǎnzhàn yóuxíng ma?
  • English: Do you think we should join the anti-war march?
  • Analysis: `反战 (fǎnzhàn)` means “anti-war.” This shows how a descriptor can be placed before 游行 to specify its purpose.
• Example 10:
  • 迪士尼乐园的花车游行总是最受孩子们欢迎的。
  • Pinyin: Díshìní Lèyuán de huāchē yóuxíng zǒngshì zuì shòu háizimen huānyíng de.
  • English: The float parade at Disneyland is always the most popular with children.
  • Analysis: This highlights the purely entertaining and commercial use of the term. `花车 (huāchē)` means float.

• Don't confuse `游行 (yóuxíng)` with `散步 (sànbù)`.
  • A common mistake for learners is to see `游 (roam)` and `行 (walk)` and think it means a casual stroll.
  • Incorrect: 我晚饭后去公园游行。 (I go for a parade in the park after dinner.)
  • Correct: 我晚饭后去公园散步。 (I go for a walk in the park after dinner.)
  • Reason: 游行 requires an organized group and a purpose. 散步 (sànbù) is a leisurely, aimless walk for pleasure.
• Don't assume `游行 (yóuxíng)` is always a protest.
  • English speakers might hear “march” and immediately think of a protest. In Chinese, the context is king. Without a clarifying word like `抗议 (kàngyì)` or `示威 (shìwēi)`, you shouldn't assume it's a demonstration. It's just as likely, if not more likely, to be a celebration.
• Understanding the Connotation of `游行示威 (yóuxíng shìwēi)`.
  • This full phrase almost exclusively refers to political protests. Using it to describe a St. Patrick's Day parade would be strange and incorrect. It carries a heavy, serious connotation of making a demand or expressing dissent.

• 示威 (shìwēi) - To demonstrate; a protest. The action of showing power or dissent, often done through a `游行`.
• 集会 (jíhuì) - A rally, an assembly, a gathering. People often `集会` before they begin to `游行`.
• 抗议 (kàngyì) - To protest (verb); a protest (noun). This describes the *reason* for a protest `游行`.
• 散步 (sànbù) - To take a walk, to stroll. A useful antonym to highlight the organized nature of `游行`.
• 阅兵 (yuèbīng) - Military parade; to review troops. A very specific, formal, and militaristic type of `游行`.
• 国庆节 (Guóqìngjié) - National Day. The holiday most famously associated with massive, state-organized `游行` in China.
• 花车 (huāchē) - Parade float. A common element in celebratory parades.
• 社会稳定 (shèhuì wěndìng) - Social stability. A core political and cultural concept in China that influences the official view on public demonstrations.