向

See also: 冋, 尚, 何, 同, 回, and 嚮

向 U+5411, 向 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5411 ← 吐 [U+5410] CJK Unified Ideographs 吒 → [U+5412]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

向 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+3, 6 strokes, cangjie input 竹月口 (HBR), four-corner 2722₀, composition ⿱丿冋 or ⿵𰃦口)

Derived characters

• 响, 垧, 姠, 恦, 逈, 𣂝, 晌, 𬂭, 𤈍, 珦, 𥹝, 𥿧, 䖮, 𧧦, 𮚹, 銄, 餉(饷), 𮯄
• 䚁, 𭕜, 扄, 晑, 𥭈, 𰈜, 𠽘, 𤍀, 嚮, 𪢞, 𧥁, 𫝙, 𫷇, 𣹚, 𮣛

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 176, character 4
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3301
• Dae Jaweon: page 393, character 4
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 579, character 8
• Unihan data for U+5411

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 向
Shang	Western Zhou	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

	Old Chinese
晌	*hljaŋʔ
餉	*hljaŋs
向	*hljaŋs, *hlaŋs
珦	*hljaŋs, *hlaŋs

Characters in the same phonetic series (向) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 宀 (“house”) + 口 (“mouth”), echos in a place. The original form of 響. It was borrowed to represent 𠨍 (嚮) later. The mouth doesn't represent an opening (e.g., a door or a window) as in 高 and 谷. Similar to 冋.

Etymology 1

simp. and trad.		向

“ACG: for (directed at, intended to belong to)”

Orthographic borrowing from Japanese 向(む)け (muke).

Pronunciation 1

Rime
Character	向
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	曉 (32)
Final (韻)	陽 (105)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	許亮切
Baxter	xjangH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/hɨɐŋH/
Pan Wuyun	/hiɐŋH/
Shao Rongfen	/xiɑŋH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/hɨaŋH/
Li Rong	/xiaŋH/
Wang Li	/xĭaŋH/
Bernard Karlgren	/xi̯aŋH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xiàng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hoeng3

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	向
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	xiàng
Middle Chinese	‹ xjangH ›
Old Chinese	/*n̥aŋ-s/
English	window facing North; turn towards
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	向
Reading #	2/2
No.	13660
Phonetic component	向
Rime group	陽
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	向
Old Chinese	/*hlaŋs/

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): xiàng (xiang⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄤˋ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): xiang⁴

• Cantonese (Jyutping): hoeng³
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): hiong
• Eastern Min (BUC): hióng
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): hiòng / hiàng / hiàⁿ / ǹg / àⁿ

  (Teochew, Peng'im): hiang³

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁵shian

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xiàng
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄤˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: siàng
    • Wade–Giles: hsiang⁴
    • Yale: syàng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shianq
    • Palladius: сян (sjan)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: xiang⁴
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xiang
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕiaŋ²¹³/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: hoeng³
    • Yale: heung
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hoeng³
    • Guangdong Romanization: hêng³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hœːŋ³³/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: hiong
    • Hakka Romanization System: hiong
    • Hagfa Pinyim: hiong⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /hi̯oŋ⁵⁵/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: hióng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hyɔŋ²¹³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, General Taiwanese, Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiòng
    • Tâi-lô: hiòng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hioxng
    • IPA (Taipei): /hiɔŋ¹¹/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung, Xiamen): /hiɔŋ²¹/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /hiɔŋ⁴¹/
  • (Hokkien: variant in Taiwan, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiàng
    • Tâi-lô: hiàng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hiaxng
    • IPA (Kaohsiung, Zhangzhou): /hiaŋ²¹/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiàⁿ
    • Tâi-lô: hiànn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hviax
    • IPA (Taipei): /hiã¹¹/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung): /hiã²¹/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /hiã⁴¹/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ǹg
    • Tâi-lô: ǹg
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ngx
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung): /ŋ̍²¹/
    • IPA (Taipei): /ŋ̍¹¹/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /ŋ̍⁴¹/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: àⁿ
    • Tâi-lô: ànn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: vax
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ã²¹/
    • IPA (Taipei): /ã¹¹/

Note:

• hiòng/hiàng - literary;
• hiàⁿ/ǹg/àⁿ - vernacular.

• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: hiang³
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hiàng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hiaŋ²¹³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁵shian
    • MiniDict: shian^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²xian
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɕiã³⁴/

---

• Middle Chinese: xjangH

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*n̥aŋ-s/

  (Zhengzhang): /*hlaŋs/

Definitions

向

1. to face

   向陽／向阳  ―  xiàngyáng  ―  to face the sun

   大門向南／大门向南  ―  dàmén xiàng nán  ―  the entrance faces south

   相向而行  ―  xiàng xiàng ér xíng  ―  to walk towards each other

2. to side with; to favour; to discriminate in favour of
3. (literary) to admire; to revere
4. (literary) to approach; to advance towards

   向晚  ―  xiàngwǎn  ―  evening

5. direction

   風向／风向  ―  fēngxiàng  ―  wind direction

   志向  ―  zhìxiàng  ―  ambitions

6. towards; to

   向東走／向东走  ―  xiàng dōng zǒu  ―  to go east

   流向大海  ―  liú xiàng dàhǎi  ―  to flow towards the sea

   向警方報案／向警方报案  ―  xiàng jǐngfāng bào'àn  ―  to report a crime to the post

   我有些問題想向您請教。 [MSC, trad.]
   我有些问题想向您请教。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ yǒu xiē wèntí xiǎng xiàng nín qǐngjiào. [Pinyin]

   (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   大家紛紛把目光投向他。 [MSC, trad.]
   大家纷纷把目光投向他。 [MSC, simp.]

   Dàjiā fēnfēn bǎ mùguāng tóu xiàng tā. [Pinyin]

   Everyone cast their gaze towards him.

7. (literary) the old days; the past
8. always; throughout

   向有研究  ―  xiàng yǒu yánjiū  ―  (please add an English translation of this usage example)

9. (Taivoan religious concept) sorcery, taboo, and magic
10. (chiefly ACG, suffix forming attributive adjectives) for (directed at, intended to belong to)

    子供向  ―  zǐgōngxiàng  ―  family-friendly (literally, “for children”)

    催淚向／催泪向  ―  cuīlèixiàng  ―  tearjerker

Compounds

• 一向 (yīxiàng)
• 不可向邇／不可向迩 (bùkěxiàng'ěr)
• 不知去向 (bùzhīqùxiàng)
• 人心向背 (rénxīnxiàngbèi)
• 人心所向 (rénxīnsuǒxiàng)
• 偏向 (piānxiàng)
• 傾向／倾向
• 內向／内向 (nèixiàng)
• 共同趨向／共同趋向
• 出口導向／出口导向
• 分向島／分向岛
• 劉向／刘向
• 動向／动向 (dòngxiàng)
• 去向 (qùxiàng)
• 反向 (fǎnxiàng)
• 反方向 (fǎnfāngxiàng)
• 取向 (qǔxiàng)
• 向上 (xiàngshàng)
• 向下 (xiàngxià)
• 向使 (xiàngshǐ)
• 向例
• 向來／向来 (xiànglái)
• 向光 (xiàngguāng)
• 向光性
• 向前 (xiàngqián)
• 向化
• 向北 (xiàngběi)
• 向午
• 向善 (xiàngshàn)
• 向地性
• 向壁虛構／向壁虚构 (xiàngbìxūgòu)
• 向壁虛造／向壁虚造 (xiàngbìxūzào)
• 向外 (xiàngwài)
• 向學／向学 (xiàngxué)
• 向寵／向宠
• 向導／向导 (xiàngdǎo)
• 向平之願／向平之愿
• 向年
• 向往 (xiàngwǎng)
• 向後／向后 (xiànghòu)
• 向心力 (xiàngxīnlì)
• 向心花序
• 向斜層／向斜层
• 向日 (xiàngrì)
• 向日性
• 向日葵 (xiàngrìkuí)
• 向時／向时 (xiàngshí)
• 向晚 (xiàngwǎn)
• 向暮 (xiàngmù)
• 向曉／向晓
• 向望 (ǹg-bāng) (Min Nan)
• 向東／向东 (xiàngdōng)
• 向格 (xiànggé)
• 向榮／向荣
• 向溼性／向湿性
• 向火
• 向火乞兒／向火乞儿
• 向當／向当
• 向盤／向盘 (xiàngpán)
• 向秀
• 向聲背實／向声背实
• 向背 (xiàngbèi)
• 向著／向着 (xiàngzhe)
• 向西 (xiàngxī)
• 向量 (xiàngliàng)
• 向錢看／向钱看
• 向隅 (xiàngyú)
• 向陽／向阳 (xiàngyáng)
• 向隅獨泣／向隅独泣 (xiàngyúdúqì)
• 向隅而泣 (xiàngyú'érqì)
• 向電性／向电性
• 向非
• 向順／向顺
• 向風／向风
• 單向／单向 (dānxiàng)
• 單向天線／单向天线
• 單向道／单向道 (dānxiàngdào)
• 外向 (wàixiàng)
• 大方向 (dàfāngxiàng)
• 奈向
• 奮發向上／奋发向上
• 定向 (dìngxiàng)
• 定向天線／定向天线
• 導向／导向 (dǎoxiàng)
• 導向思考／导向思考
• 導向飛彈／导向飞弹 (dǎoxiàng fēidàn)
• 導向魚雷／导向鱼雷
• 山向
• 志向 (zhìxiàng)
• 性向 (xìngxiàng)
• 性向測驗／性向测验
• 怒目相向
• 意向 (yìxiàng)
• 所向披靡
• 所向無前／所向无前
• 所向無敵／所向无敌 (suǒxiàngwúdí)
• 投向 (tóuxiàng)
• 折節向學／折节向学
• 指向 (zhǐxiàng)
• 改惡向善／改恶向善
• 改過向善／改过向善
• 斐然向風／斐然向风
• 方向 (fāngxiàng)
• 方向燈／方向灯
• 方向盤／方向盘 (fāngxiàngpán)
• 方向舵 (fāngxiàngduò)
• 昏頭轉向／昏头转向
• 暈頭轉向／晕头转向
• 朝向 (cháoxiàng)
• 東向／东向
• 東奔西向／东奔西向
• 橫向／横向 (héngxiàng)
• 欣欣向榮／欣欣向荣 (xīnxīnxiàngróng)
• 歸向／归向 (guīxiàng)
• 歸向導引／归向导引
• 民心趨向／民心趋向
• 民意向背
• 無計向／无计向
• 物件導向／物件导向
• 特殊性向
• 發憤向上／发愤向上
• 相向 (xiāngxiàng)
• 看風向／看风向
• 矇頭轉向／蒙头转向
• 矛盾相向
• 航向
• 蘄向／蕲向
• 護向／护向
• 走向 (zǒuxiàng)
• 趨向／趋向 (qūxiàng)
• 轉向／转向
• 迎向
• 逆向 (nìxiàng)
• 迴向／回向 (huíxiàng)
• 逆向公車／逆向公车
• 逆向思考
• 逆向整合
• 邁向／迈向 (màixiàng)
• 鋒芒所向／锋芒所向
• 雙向／双向 (shuāngxiàng)
• 雙向溝通／双向沟通
• 震旦方向
• 靡然向風／靡然向风
• 風向／风向 (fēngxiàng)
• 風向標／风向标 (fēngxiàngbiāo)
• 風向球／风向球
• 風向袋／风向袋

 

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (向):

• → Vietnamese: hướng (向)

Pronunciation 2

Rime
Character	向
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	書 (26)
Final (韻)	陽 (105)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	式亮切
Baxter	syangH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɕɨɐŋH/
Pan Wuyun	/ɕiɐŋH/
Shao Rongfen	/ɕiɑŋH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɕɨaŋH/
Li Rong	/ɕiaŋH/
Wang Li	/ɕĭaŋH/
Bernard Karlgren	/ɕi̯aŋH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	shàng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	soeng3

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	向
Reading #	1/2
No.	13658
Phonetic component	向
Rime group	陽
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	餉
Old Chinese	/*hljaŋs/

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): Xiàng (Xiang⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄤˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): hoeng³
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): Hiòng / Hiàng

  (Teochew, Peng'im): hiang³

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Xiàng
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄤˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Siàng
    • Wade–Giles: Hsiang⁴
    • Yale: Syàng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Shianq
    • Palladius: Сян (Sjan)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: hoeng³
    • Yale: heung
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hoeng³
    • Guangdong Romanization: hêng³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hœːŋ³³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Hiòng
    • Tâi-lô: Hiòng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hioxng
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /hiɔŋ⁴¹/
    • IPA (Xiamen): /hiɔŋ²¹/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Hiàng
    • Tâi-lô: Hiàng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hiaxng
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /hiaŋ²¹/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: hiang³
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hiàng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hiaŋ²¹³/

---

• Middle Chinese: syangH

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*hljaŋs/

Definitions

向

1. An ancient state in modern Shandong
2. name of two places in modern Henan
3. a surname

   • 將軍向寵，性行淑均，曉暢軍事。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     将军向宠，性行淑均，晓畅军事。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 諸葛亮 (Zhūgě Liàng) (Zhuge Liang), 《出師表》, 227 CE

     Jiāngjūn Xiàng Chǒng, xìngxíng shū jūn, xiǎochàng jūnshì. [Pinyin]

     General Xiang Chong is a kind and fair-minded man proficient in military matters.

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of 向 – see 嚮 (“to turn toward; to approach; toward; facing; against; etc.”). (This character is the simplified and ancient form of 嚮).

Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Etymology 3

For pronunciation and definitions of 向 – see 曏 (“in the near past; in the past; formerly; facing; against; etc.”). (This character is the simplified form of 曏).

Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Japanese

Kanji

See also:

Category:Japanese terms spelled with 向

向

(Third grade kyōiku kanji)

1. yonder
2. facing

Readings

• Go-on: こう (kō, Jōyō)^{←かう (kau, historical)}
• Kan-on: きょう (kyō)^{←きやう (kyau, historical)}
• Kun: むかう (mukau, 向かう, Jōyō)^{←むかふ (mukafu, 向かふ, historical)}、むく (muku, 向く, Jōyō)、むける (mukeru, 向ける, Jōyō)、むこう (mukō, 向こう, Jōyō)、さきに (sakini, 向に)、むかい (mukai, 向かい)^{←むかひ (mukafi, 向かひ, historical)}、むき (muki, 向き)
• Nanori: ひさ (hisa)、むか (muka)、むかう (mukau)、むき (muki)、むけ (muke)、むこう (mukō)、しょう (shō)^{←しやう (syau, historical)}

Compounds

• 向(きょう)後(ご) (kyōgo)
• 向(きょう)後(こう) (kyōkō)
• 向(きょう)日(じつ) (kyōjitsu) (嚮(きょう)日(じつ))
• 向(きょう)日(じっ)葵(き) (kyōjikki)
• 向(きょう)者(しゃ) (kyōsha) (嚮(きょう)者(しゃ))
• 向(きょう)前(ぜん) (kyōzen) (嚮(きょう)前(ぜん))
• 向(きょう)明(めい) (kyōmei) (嚮(きょう)明(めい))
• 向(きょう)来(らい) (kyōrai) (嚮(きょう)来(らい))
• 向(こう)学(がく) (kōgaku)
• 向(こう)寒(かん) (kōkan)
• 向(こう)後(ご) (kōgo)
• 向(こう)日(じつ) (kōjitsu) (嚮(こう)日(じつ))
• 向(こう)日(じっ)葵(き) (kōjikki)
• 向(こう)暑(しょ) (kōsho)
• 向(こう)上(じょう) (kōjō)
• 向(こう)性(せい) (kōsei)
• 向(こう)背(はい) (kōhai) (嚮(こう)背(はい))
• 向(ご)拝(はい) (gohai)
• 向日葵(ひまわり) (himawari)
• 向(むこう)三(さん)軒(げん)両(りょう)隣(どなり) (mukōsangen ryōdonari)
• 意(い)向(こう) (ikō) (意(い)嚮(こう))
• 一(いっ)向(こう) (ikkō)
• 回(え)向(こう), 廻(え)向(こう) (ekō)
• 外(がい)向(こう) (gaikō)
• 葵(き)向(こう) (kikō)
• 傾(けい)向(こう) (keikō)
• 下(げ)向(こう) (gekō)
• 参(さん)向(こう) (sankō)
• 志(し)向(こう) (shikō)
• 指(し)向(こう) (shikō)
• 趣(しゅ)向(こう) (shukō)
• 出(しゅっ)向(こう) (shukkō)
• 趨(すう)向(こう) (sūkō)
• 性(せい)向(こう) (seikō)
• 対(たい)向(こう) (taikō)
• 手(た)向(むけ) (tamuke)
• 転(てん)向(こう) (tenkō)
• 動(どう)向(こう) (dōkō)
• 内(ない)向(こう) (naikō)
• 発(はっ)向(こう) (hakkō)
• 日向(ひなた) (hinata)
• 風(ふう)向(こう) (fūkō)
• 偏(へん)向(こう) (henkō)
• 方(ほう)向(こう) (hōkō)
• 真(ま)っ向(こう) (makkō)
• 影(よう)向(ごう) (yōgō)

 

Proper noun

向(むかい) • (Mukai) ^{←むかひ (Mukafi)?}

1. a surname

Korean

Etymology 1

Hanja

向 (eumhun 향할 향 (hyanghal hyang))

1. hanja form^? of 향 (“facing”)

Etymology 2

Hanja

向 (eumhun 성 상 (seong sang))

1. hanja form^? of 상 (“a surname.”)

Vietnamese

Han character

向: Hán Nôm readings: hướng

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.