向 means “face, turn toward”
むく · muku
Also: yonder, facing, beyond, confront
- Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
- むく, むい, むける, むかう, むかい
- On'yomi (Chinese reading)
- コウ
JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 3 · 6 strokes
The story
Picture a house with one window (口) set in its wall, and everything inside turned toward the light. 向 is facing: 向こう is over there, 方向 is a direction, and 前向き, facing forward, means positive.
Used in 向こう (mukou, over there), 方向 (houkou, direction), and 前向き (maemuki, positive/forward-looking)
More from Coming & Going
- 放 release
- 残 remain
- 追 chase
- 落 fall
- 退 retreat
- 路 road
- 込 crowded
- 途 way
- 留 stay
- 散 scatter
- 浮 float
- 戻 go back
Learn 向 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji
Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.