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HSK 3

向

toward; to face

prepositionneutral
向
xiàng4th tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
xiàng
Part of speech
preposition
Level
HSK 3
Strokes
6
Register
neutral

Stroke order for 向

向 is written with 6 strokes. The animation replays automatically.

What does 向 mean?

向 (xiàng) is the preposition 'toward / to / facing,' used to mark the direction of an action.

Pattern: subject + 向 + direction/target + verb. 向前走 = 'walk forward.' 向左转 = 'turn left.' It also marks the recipient of communication or learning: 向老师问问题 = 'ask the teacher a question'; 向他学习 = 'learn from him.' Two distinctions for English speakers.

First, 向 is interchangeable with 朝 (cháo, 'toward / facing') in directional uses — 向北 / 朝北 both mean 'facing north,' though 朝 is slightly more spatial. Second, 向 differs from 往 (wǎng, 'toward'): 往 emphasizes motion to a destination (往北京 = toward Beijing); 向 emphasizes facing or orientation. As a verb, 向 can also mean 'to face / be inclined toward,' but that use is mostly literary today. Don't confuse with the homophone 像 (xiàng, 'to resemble').

Example sentences

请向前走。

Qǐng xiàng qián zǒu.

Please walk forward.

spoken

到了路口，向左转。

Dào le lùkǒu, xiàng zuǒ zhuǎn.

When you reach the intersection, turn left.

spoken

我们要向他学习。

Wǒmen yào xiàng tā xuéxí.

We should learn from him.

neutral

他向我笑了笑。

Tā xiàng wǒ xiào le xiào.

He smiled at me.

neutral

你走错方向了。

Nǐ zǒu cuò fāngxiàng le.

You're going the wrong way.

spoken

Common phrases with 向

向前走xiàng qián zǒuwalk forward
向左转xiàng zuǒ zhuǎnturn left
向右转xiàng yòu zhuǎnturn right
向他学习xiàng tā xuéxílearn from him
方向fāngxiàngdirection

Synonyms

朝cháo

朝 also means 'toward / facing' and is interchangeable with 向 in most directional uses (朝前走 / 向前走). 朝 leans slightly more spatial-orientation, 向 slightly more action-direction; in everyday speech they swap freely.

往wǎng

往 emphasizes motion toward a destination — 往北京去 = 'go toward Beijing.' 向 emphasizes facing or the abstract direction of an action. For walking directions, both work: 往前走 = 向前走. For 'ask someone,' only 向 works: 向他问问题, NOT 往他问问题.

Don't confuse 向 with

像xiàng

像 (xiàng, 'resemble') is a homophone of 向 but means 'to be like.' 你像他 = 'You're like him'; 向他学习 = 'Learn from him.' Easy to mix up in writing.

想xiǎng

想 (xiǎng, 'to want / think') has a different tone (third) and a totally different meaning. 想去 = 'want to go'; 向北 = 'toward the north.'

项xiàng

项 (xiàng) means 'item / measure word for items' (一项工作 = a task) or 'neck.' Same pinyin, different character, unrelated meaning.

FAQ

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