jìn: 进 - to enter, advance, go in

Keywords: jìn, 进, enter Chinese, go in Chinese, come in Chinese, advance Chinese, make progress in Chinese, how to use jin, 进来, 进去, 进步, Chinese verb for enter, HSK 1

Summary: Discover the essential Chinese verb 进 (jìn), a fundamental character you'll encounter daily. Meaning “to enter,” “to advance,” or “to come/go in,” 进 (jìn) is not just about walking through a door; it's a core concept related to making progress, scoring goals, and importing goods. This guide breaks down its simple structure, cultural importance, and crucial directional usage (进来 vs. 进去), providing practical examples to help you master this key HSK 1 character.

Pinyin (with tone marks): jìn

Part of Speech: Verb, Directional Complement

HSK Level: HSK 1

Concise Definition: To move from outside to inside; to enter; to advance or move forward.

In a Nutshell: 进 (jìn) is one of the most basic verbs of motion in Chinese. At its heart, it signifies crossing a threshold—whether it's a physical doorway, the start of a new phase in life, or progress in your studies. Think of it as any action that involves moving “forward” and “inward.”

进 (jìn) is a phono-semantic compound character, making it easy to remember.

辶 (chuò): This is the “walking” or “motion” radical. It's found in many characters related to movement, like 送 (sòng - to send) and 远 (yuǎn - far). It immediately tells you this character has something to do with action or travel.

井 (jǐng): This character means “a well.” In 进, it primarily provides the phonetic sound. However, you can use a mnemonic: picture someone walking (辶) forward to get to a well (井) and go into its vicinity.

Together, the motion radical (辶) plus the phonetic component (井) create the concept of advancing or entering. The traditional form is 進, which more clearly shows the evolution, but the simplified form 进 is used in mainland China.

In Chinese culture, 进 (jìn) carries a deeply positive and aspirational weight beyond just physical entry. It's intrinsically linked to the societal value of progress and self-improvement. The word for “progress” itself is 进步 (jìnbù), literally “to advance a step.” This concept is drilled into children from a young age: you must 进步 in your studies to 进 (jìn) a good university, which allows you to 进 (jìn) a good company.

Compare this to the English word “enter.” We “enter” a room, and it's a neutral action. We can also “enter a competition,” which is more significant. In Chinese, however, the “advancement” aspect of 进 (jìn) is much more prominent in daily thought. The opposite, 退 (tuì)—to retreat or move backward, as in 退步 (tuìbù)—carries a strong negative connotation of failure or regression. This forward-marching mentality encapsulated by 进 (jìn) is a cornerstone of modern Chinese ambition.

进来 (jìnlái) - To come in. Emphasizes movement towards the speaker.

进去 (jìnqù) - To go in. Emphasizes movement away from the speaker.

进步 (jìnbù) - To make progress. A core concept built from 进.

出 (chū) - The direct antonym of 进. It means “to exit” or “to go out.” (e.g., 出来 chūlái vs. 出去 chūqù).

退 (tuì) - The direct antonym of the “advance” meaning. It means “to retreat” or “move back.” (e.g., 退步 tuìbù - to regress).

进入 (jìnrù) - A more formal way to say “to enter.” Often used in writing or for abstract concepts (e.g., 进入新时代 - to enter a new era).

前进 (qiánjìn) - To advance, to move forward. Used for armies, vehicles, or metaphorically for progress.

进口 (jìnkǒu) - To import; an entrance (less common). The antonym is 出口 (chūkǒu), to export.

入门 (rùmén) - Literally “to enter a door.” It means “entry-level” or “to get started” with a new skill (e.g., 汉语入门 - Introductory Chinese). Note the use of the formal 入 (rù).