へ

also: ェ

へ

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100

Meanings

Directional particle indicating movement toward a destination or goal. Pronounced え in modern Japanese. Occasionally written as 江 in historical contexts.

学がっ校こうへ行いく。
I go to school.
彼かれは駅えきの方ほうへ歩あるいた。
He walked towards the station.

See all 4,290 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉へ行いくto go to/towards a place
来らい月げつ、大おお阪さかへ行いく予よ定ていです。
I'm planning to go to Osaka next month.
〈人ひと〉へ手て紙がみを書かくto write a letter to someone
祖そ母ぼへ手て紙がみを書かいた。
I wrote a letter to my grandmother.
〈場ば所しょ〉へ向むかうto head towards a place
電でん車しゃは東とう京きょうへ向むかっている。
The train is heading towards Tokyo.

Grammar

へto; towardN5

Related words

に
へ highlights the direction or general area of movement, while に pinpoints the exact destination or point of contact.

Don't confuse with

に
へ marks a general direction or destination and feels a bit more literary/vague, while に marks an exact destination, location, or time point.
までN5
へ indicates the direction something moves toward, whereas まで stresses reaching or extending up to a specific endpoint.

Written forms

へUsage100%
Standard kana spelling for the directional particle. Pronounced え in modern Japanese.
ヘUsage<1%
ェ
rarely-used kana form
Rarely used kana form; the standard spelling is へ.

Etymology

The particle へ derives from the noun 辺 (へ), meaning 'vicinity' or 'direction'. The pronunciation shifted from へ to え in modern Japanese, but the kana spelling へ is retained.