Telling someone to meet you at the north gate is easy in English — but writing 左 (zuǒ, left) and 右 (yòu, right) from memory in Mandarin is where many beginners stall. The Directions & Meeting Up worksheet is a free printable page of 田字格 (tián zì gé) tracing grids built from HSK 3.0 vocabulary, so you can practice exactly the words you need for finding your way and meeting friends.
The page covers ten HSK 1 words for navigation and meeting up. You'll trace and write 左 (zuǒ, left) and 右 (yòu, right), plus 前 (qián, front) and 后 (hòu, back) — the four characters most learners mix up first. The compass points 东 (dōng, east), 西 (xī, west), 南 (nán, south), and 北 (běi, north) round out the set, along with 路 (lù, road) and 见面 (jiàn miàn, to meet). Pinyin sits above every character so you connect sound to shape as you write.
Each word starts with guided strokes in shaded 田字格 grids — trace them until your hand knows the path. Then switch to the blank grids and write each character from memory. Say the word aloud as you write: hearing yourself say 左 while your pen forms it locks the association far better than silent tracing. If you want extra blank practice, grab the blank printable 田字格 writing grid paper and keep going.
This worksheet pairs with SayMei's HSK 1 lessons hub page, and the words match the course weeks exactly. You can print the page directly or download it as a PDF — no signup needed. For other topic sets, try the printable "Phones & Getting Online" worksheet (HSK 1) or the printable "Numbers & Prices" worksheet (HSK 1). You can also generate your own with the free printable Chinese worksheet generator.
Words on this worksheet: 左 (zuǒ) — left; 右 (yòu) — right; 前 (qián) — front; 后 (hòu) — back, behind, after, later; 东 (dōng) — east; 西 (xī) — west; 南 (nán) — south; 北 (běi) — north; 路 (lù) — road; 见面 (jiànmiàn) — meet. Hear these words in beginner Mandarin songs.The worksheet covers ten HSK 1 words: 左 (zuǒ, left), 右 (yòu, right), 前 (qián, front), 后 (hòu, back), 东 (dōng, east), 西 (xī, west), 南 (nán, south), 北 (běi, north), 路 (lù, road), and 见面 (jiàn miàn, to meet). Each appears in a 田字格 grid with pinyin above it.
Each character starts with guided strokes you trace over, so your hand learns the correct path and proportions. Once you're comfortable, you move to blank 田字格 grids and write the same character from memory — repeating 左 and 右 until you no longer confuse them.
No. The Directions & Meeting Up worksheet is free to print directly or download as a PDF with no signup needed. The words come from HSK 3.0 vocabulary lists and match SayMei's HSK 1 course weeks.
Yes. SayMei offers a separate blank printable 田字格 writing grid paper tool, so you can keep practicing 前, 后, and the compass points after you finish the guided worksheet.