向かう
Meaning in Englishhead toward, face
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
向かう means to move toward a place or goal, to face in a direction, or to direct one's efforts or attention toward something. It describes motion or orientation toward a target and is used with particles such as に or へ to indicate destination or direction.
Main meanings
- to head toward a location or goal
- to face toward a person or thing
- to direct one's actions, attention, or studies toward something
How to use it
Used to indicate movement toward a destination or orientation toward a target; commonly paired with に or へ; appropriate for casual conversation and narrative prose; can describe literal travel as well as figurative aims or directions.
Variants and close terms
- 目指す (mezasu) — to aim for
- 向ける (mukeru) — to direct toward (transitive)
- 向く (muku) — to face toward (intransitive)
Composition
- 向: toward, facing
- かう: verb ending indicating the basic dictionary form; in this word, かう is the okurigana that completes the verb
Etymology
むかう is the native reading, traditionally written with the kanji 向 to reflect the core sense of 'toward'. The pronunciation shows the preserved -au ending from Old Japanese, illustrating a stable u-verb conjugation over time.
Word class
verb (godan, u-verb) (動詞, 五段-ウ動詞)