---
title: "進, 退, 平: The Three Xiangqi Move Directions · Xiangqi Master"
description: "進 means advance, 退 means retreat and 平 means move sideways along the rank. They correspond to +, − and = in WXF notation."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/what-does-jin-tui-ping-mean
updated: 2026-09-22
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# What do 進, 退 and 平 mean in xiangqi notation?

These answers restate the rules implemented by our open-source engine, which follows the WXF laws and is regression-tested against the official 110-diagram repetition casebook. Where an answer refers to a specific position, that position lives on the linked reference page, where the build verifies it against the engine before publishing.

> Direct answer
>
> They are the three directions a move can take. **進** (*jìn*) advance, toward the opponent. **退** (*tuì*) retreat, toward yourself. **平** (*píng*) traverse, sideways along the rank. In WXF they are written **+**, **−** and **=**.

## What follows each one

After **平**, the number is always a destination file. After **進** or **退** it depends on the piece: for chariots, cannons, soldiers and generals — which move in straight lines — it is a *distance*. For horses, elephants and advisors, which move diagonally, it is the *destination file*, because a distance would not identify the point.

## Pieces that cannot use all three

Soldiers never retreat, so 退 never appears with 兵 or 卒. Elephants and advisors move only diagonally, so they never use 平. Those absences are a quick way to sanity-check a move you are unsure you have read correctly.

## Related questions

Does 進 mean the same for both sides?

Yes — it always means toward the opponent, from the mover's point of view.

Can a general use 平?

Yes, within the palace, moving sideways one point.

## Related xiangqi resources

Reading notation

炮二平五 and C2=5 — the same move, two ways

Xiangqi glossary

Every term, with the Chinese and the WXF spelling

How the soldier moves

Forward only, until it crosses the river

## Try it on a real board

Reading an answer is one thing; playing it is another. Free, instant, and nothing to install.