jìnqù: 进去 - To Go In, To Enter
Quick Summary
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Summary: Learn how to use the essential Chinese directional verb 进去 (jìnqù), meaning “to go in” or “to enter”. This guide breaks down its meaning, structure, and crucial differences from its counterpart, 进来 (jìnlai). Understand how speaker perspective is key in Chinese and master describing movement away from you and into a space, with practical examples from daily conversation, including literal and figurative uses.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): jìnqù
Part of Speech: Verb (Directional Complement)
HSK Level: HSK 2
Concise Definition: To go into a place, moving away from the speaker.
In a Nutshell: 进去 (jìnqù) is a fundamental concept in Chinese that combines direction (in) with perspective (away). It's formed by 进 (jìn), “to enter,” and 去 (qù), “to go away.” You use it when you are outside a place and are talking about someone or something moving into that place. Imagine you're on the sidewalk, pointing to a café and telling your friend, “You go in first.” That action of them moving away from you and into the café is perfectly described by 进去 (jìnqù).
Character Breakdown
进 (jìn): This character means “to enter” or “to advance.” It's composed of the radical 辶 (chuò), which signifies movement, and 井 (jǐng), which originally depicted a well but here lends its sound. Think of it as making forward movement into a space.
去 (qù): This character means “to go” or “to leave.” It's often visualized as a person leaving a specific area. Its presence indicates that the action is moving away from the speaker's current location.
Combination: When you combine 进 (enter) and 去 (go away), you get 进去 (jìnqù): “to enter by going away from the speaker.” This creates a precise and visual description of movement that is core to Chinese grammar.
Cultural Context and Significance
While 进去 (jìnqù) isn't a deep philosophical term like 关系 (guānxi), it reveals a key aspect of the Chinese linguistic worldview: the importance of speaker perspective.
In English, “go in” is ambiguous. You can say, “I'll go in now,” whether you're speaking to someone inside or outside. Chinese, however, demands more precision. The choice between 进去 (jìnqù) (to go in) and 进来 (jìnlai) (to come in) is mandatory and depends entirely on your physical location relative to the action.
This isn't just grammar; it reflects a high-context way of communicating where the speaker's position and perspective are embedded into the very verbs they use. For a learner, mastering this concept is a significant step towards thinking more like a native speaker, where space and personal position are always clearly defined in language. It's a shift from the more objective English “go in” to the subjective and perspective-driven Chinese 进去.
Practical Usage in Modern China
进去 (jìnqù) is used constantly in everyday life.
Literal Physical Movement: This is its most common use. It describes people or objects entering a defined space.
Entering a building: “Let's go into the mall.” (我们进商场去吧。)
Entering a room: “He pushed the door open and went in.” (他推开门进去了。)
Getting into a vehicle: “Hurry and get in the car!” (快进去车里！)
Figurative or Abstract Use: While less common for beginners, 进去 can be used figuratively.
Getting into Trouble / Jail (Colloquial): This is a very common and important colloquialism. If someone “进去了” (jìnqù le), it's a euphemism for being arrested and sent to prison.
Getting Absorbed: It can sometimes describe getting mentally absorbed into something, like a story or a movie, though other words are more common.
As a Command: It is frequently used to direct someone to enter a space when you are not in that space yourself. The tone can be neutral, polite (with 请 qǐng), or impatient depending on the context.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
外面太冷了，你快进去吧！
Pinyin: Wàimiàn tài lěng le, nǐ kuài jìnqù ba!
English: It's too cold outside, you should go in quickly!
Analysis: The speaker is outside with the listener, telling them to enter a building or house. The action is away from the speaker's current (and continuing) location.
Example 2:
我看见他进去那家商店了。
Pinyin: Wǒ kànjiàn tā jìnqù nà jiā shāngdiàn le.
English: I saw him go into that store.
Analysis: The speaker is outside the store, describing an action they observed from their vantage point.
Example 3:
里面正在开会，我们现在不能进去。
Pinyin: Lǐmiàn zhèngzài kāihuì, wǒmen xiànzài bùnéng jìnqù.
English: There's a meeting inside, we can't go in right now.
Analysis: The speakers are outside a meeting room. The potential movement is “into” the room, away from where they are standing.
Example 4:
钥匙忘带了，我们怎么进去？
Pinyin: Yàoshi wàng dài le, wǒmen zěnme jìnqù?
English: I forgot the key, how do we get in?
Analysis: A classic scenario of being locked out. The desired action is to move from outside to inside.
Example 5:
请把这些箱子搬进去。
Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ zhèxiē xiāngzi bān jìnqù.
English: Please move these boxes inside.
Analysis: This shows 进去 used as a resultative complement with another verb (搬 bān, to move). The speaker is outside, directing the boxes to be moved in.
Example 6:
那个小偷上个月进去了，听说要坐三年牢。
Pinyin: Nàge xiǎotōu shàng gè yuè jìnqù le, tīngshuō yào zuò sān nián láo.
English: That thief went in (was jailed) last month; I hear he got a three-year sentence.
Analysis: This is the important colloquial usage for “to be imprisoned.” The speaker is in “society,” and the thief has gone “into” the prison system, away from the speaker.
Example 7:
房子太黑了，我不敢一个人进去。
Pinyin: Fángzi tài hēi le, wǒ bù gǎn yīgè rén jìnqù.
English: The house is too dark, I don't dare to go in alone.
Analysis: Expresses fear or hesitation about entering a space from an outside position.
Example 8:
他跑得很快，一下子就跑进教室去了。
Pinyin: Tā pǎo de hěn kuài, yīxià zi jiù pǎo jìn jiàoshì qù le.
English: He ran very fast and went into the classroom in an instant.
Analysis: This demonstrates how the verb (跑 pǎo) and the location (教室 jiàoshì) can be placed between 进 and 去. This is a very common grammatical structure.
Example 9:
电影院的门开了，大家开始排队进去。
Pinyin: Diànyǐngyuàn de mén kāi le, dàjiā kāishǐ páiduì jìnqù.
English: The cinema doors opened, and everyone started lining up to go in.
Analysis: Describes a group action of entering a place, observed from the outside.
Example 10:
这个洞太小了，我的手伸不进去。
Pinyin: Zhège dòng tài xiǎo le, wǒ de shǒu shēn bù jìnqù.
English: This hole is too small, my hand can't go in.
Analysis: Here, we see the negative potential complement form “verb + 不 (bù) + 进去”, meaning “unable to go in”.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
The single most common mistake for learners is confusing 进去 (jìnqù) with 进来 (jìnlai). The rule is simple and absolute, based on the speaker's location.
The Golden Rule:
进去 (jìnqù - to GO in): Use this when the speaker is OUTSIDE the destination. The movement is away from you.
进来 (jìnlai - to COME in): Use this when the speaker is INSIDE the destination. The movement is towards you.
Common Mistake Scenario:
You are inside your apartment, and your friend is knocking on the door.
Another Example:
You are on the street with a friend, and you want them to enter a store ahead of you.
Understanding 进去 opens the door to all Chinese directional complements. They all follow a similar logic of `[Action] + [Direction/Perspective]`.
进来 (jìnlai) - The direct counterpart of 进去. It means “to come in” (used when the speaker is inside).
出去 (chūqù) - The opposite of 进去. It means “to go out” (used when the speaker is inside, describing someone leaving).
出来 (chūlai) - To “come out” (used when the speaker is outside, describing someone emerging).
上去 (shàngqù) - To “go up” (speaker is at a lower position).
下来 (xiàlai) - To “come down” (speaker is at a lower position).
过去 (guòqù) - To “go over” (to a place away from the speaker).
过来 (guòlái) - To “come over” (towards the speaker).
回去 (huíqù) - To “go back” (away from the speaker's current location to a previous one).
进入 (jìnrù) - A more formal, literary, and often abstract verb for “to enter,” like entering a new phase or entering data. Less common in simple spoken commands.