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

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.