Kanji Database
English
向

向 — readings, stroke count and radical

Stroke order

Stroke order data from KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Meaning (Japanese)

  1. むかう（＝嚮）。
  2. むく
  3. おもむき。かたむき

Character meanings and origins come from the Japanese Wiktionary.

Origin of the character

会意。「宀」（家屋）+「口」から構成され、屋内で音声が反響するさまを象る。「ひびく」を意味する漢語｛響｝を表す字。のち仮借して「むかう」を意味する漢語｛向｝に用いる。

Character meanings and origins come from the Japanese Wiktionary.

Meaning

yonder, facing, beyond, confront, defy, tend toward, approach

English glosses from KANJIDIC2.

Readings

On (Sino-Japanese)
  • コウElem.
Kun (native)
  • む(く)Elem.
  • む(い)
  • 〜む(き)
  • む(ける)Elem.
  • 〜む(け)
  • む(かう)Elem.
  • む(かい)
  • む(こう)Elem.
  • む(こう)〜Elem.
  • むこ
  • むか(い)
Nanori (used in names)
  • こお
  • た
  • な
  • むか
  • むかい
  • むこう
Other languages
  • 拼音xiang4
  • 한글hyang
  • 한글sang
  • Hán-ViệtHướng

Labels show the school stage at which each Jōyō reading is taught.

Basics

Strokes
6 strokes
Radical
口(くち)
JIS level
Level 1
JLPT (old scale)
Level 2
Unicode
U+5411

Components

Components this kanji is made of. Follow them to find similar kanji.

Composition (IDS): top–bottom ⿱丿冋

Words using this kanji

  • 向上こうじょう良い方へと向かうこと。進歩。上昇。elevation, rise, improvement, advancement
  • 向かって左むかってひだりon the left as one faces (it)
  • 向きむき「むき」の漢字表記。direction, orientation, aspect, exposure
  • 向かいむかい「むかい」を参照。facing, opposite, across the street, other side
  • 向こうむこう「むこう」を参照。opposite side, other side, over there, ahead
  • 向かうむかう「むかう」を参照。to face, to go towards, to head towards
  • 向くむく「むく」を参照。to turn toward, to look (up, down, etc.), to face (e.g. east) (of a building, window, etc.), to look out on
  • 向けむけintended for ..., oriented towards ..., aimed at ...
  • 向けるむけるむける 参照to turn (towards), to face, to point, to aim
  • 向こう側むこうがわother side, opposite side, other party
  • 向い風むかいかぜheadwind, head wind
  • 向かい側むかいがわopposite side, other side, other party
  • 向き合うむきあう「むきあう」の漢字表記。to be opposite, to face each other, to confront (an issue), to face
  • 向後こうごhereafter
  • 向かい合うむかいあう「むかいあう」を参照。to face each other, to be opposite (to)
  • 向学心こうがくしんlove of learning, desire to learn, passion for knowledge
  • 向寒こうかん寒い時期に向かうこと。だんだん寒くなること。approach of winter, approaching the coldest time of the year
  • 向暑こうしょ暑さの時期に向かうこと。approach of the hot season, approaching the hottest time of the year
  • 向背こうはい従うことと背くこと。 互いに背き合うこと。 成り行き。one's attitude (toward), one's position, support or opposition, state of affairs
  • 向米こうべいpro-American

Words starting with this kanji, most common first.

See all words containing this kanji(423 results)

Similar-looking kanji

Selected automatically by comparing composition (IDS). “Same composition” means the parts and their arrangement match.

Lookup codes

SKIP
3-3-3
Four Corner
2722.0
Spahn–Hadamitzky
3d3.10
Heisig
195
Nelson
101