Kanji N3

向: yonder, facing, beyond

向 is a JLPT N3 kanji meaning yonder, facing, beyond, written with 6 strokes. It is read コウ (on) and むく, むい, むける (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 3. You will see it in 方向 (ほうこう, direction) and 傾向 (けいこう, tendency).

向

Meanings

  • yonder
  • facing
  • beyond
  • confront
  • defy
  • tend toward
  • approach
Strokes6
JLPT levelN3
School gradeGrade 3
Frequency#182 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • コウ

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • むく
  • むい
  • -むき
  • むける
  • -むけ
  • むかう
  • むかい
  • むこう
  • むこう-
  • むこ
  • むかい

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

123456

Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

1234560 / 6

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 6. Start at the dot.

Common words with 向

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 方向ほうこう

    direction; orientation; bearing; way

    JLPT N3
  • 傾向けいこう

    tendency; trend; inclination

    JLPT N3
  • 向こうむこう

    opposite side; other side

    JLPT N5
  • 向かうむかう

    to face

    JLPT N4
  • 向くむく

    to turn toward; to look (up, down, etc.)

    JLPT N3
  • 向けるむける

    to turn (towards); to face; to point; to aim

    JLPT N3
  • 向かいむかい

    facing; opposite; across the street; other side

    JLPT N3
  • 意向いこう

    intention; inclination; mind; idea; wish; view

    JLPT N1

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0; the Spanish meanings they lack, translated by Naraio from their English, are shared under the same licence. Example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY. Sentences split into words with IPADIC © NAIST and IPA, through Lindera.