向むかう

む

か

う

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

向かう · godan verb (-u)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	向むかう	向むかわない
Polite	向むかいます	向むかいません
Past polite	向むかいました	向むかいませんでした
Past	向むかった	向むかわなかった
Te-form	向むかって	向むかわないで
Desire	向むかいたい	向むかいたくない
Potential	向むかえる	向むかえない
Passive	向むかわれる	向むかわれない
Causative	向むかわせる	向むかわせない
Causative passive	向むかわせられるalso 向むかわされる	向むかわせられないalso 向むかわされない
Volitional	向むかおう
Polite volitional	向むかいましょう
Imperative	向むかえ	向むかうな
Conditional	向むかえば	向むかわなければ
Tara conditional	向むかったら	向むかわなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-u), intransitive verb

face; confront; stand opposite

Used when a person or thing is positioned facing something, or when confronting a situation or opponent. Often with に.

彼かれは鏡かがみに向むかって立たった。
He stood facing the mirror.
困こん難なんに立たち向むかう勇ゆう気きが必ひつ要ようだ。
You need courage to face difficulties.

godan verb (-u), intransitive verb

head toward; go toward; make for

Describes movement in a direction or toward a destination. Often with へ or に.

駅えきへ向むかう道みちを教おしえてください。
Please tell me the way to the station.
飛ひ行こう機きは西にしへ向むかっている。
The plane is heading west.

See all 744 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉に向むかうto head toward a place
電でん車しゃは東とう京きょうに向むかっている。
The train is heading toward Tokyo.
〈人ひと〉に向むかって〈動どう詞し〉to do something facing/toward a person
彼かれは私わたしに向むかって大おお声ごえで叫さけんだ。
He shouted loudly at me, facing my direction.
〈事こと〉に向むかうto face or tackle a difficult matter
彼かれは困こん難なんに向むかって努ど力りょくを続つづけた。
He kept working hard, facing his difficulties.
〈場ば所しょ〉へ向むかうto set off toward a place
私わたしたちは駅えきへ向むかって歩あるいた。
We walked toward the station.

Expressions

机つくえに向むかうsit at a desk; be at one's desk; set to work on revision, homework, etc.
面めんと向むかうmeet face-to-face; confront directly
快かい方ほうに向むかうtake a turn for the better; begin to improve; begin to recover
向むかうところ敵てきなしunbeatable; invincible; irresistible

Grammar

に向むかって・に向むけてtoward, facing; aimed atN2

Kanji

向yonder, facing, beyond
対vis-a-vis, opposite, even

Related words· 6

目め指ざすN3sense 2
向かう simply describes heading in a direction, whereas 目指す stresses aiming for a specific goal or destination with intent.
対たいするN3sense 1
向かう describes physically or figuratively facing something, while 対する is a more formal, abstract word for standing in relation to or confronting something.
進すすむN4sense 2
向かう emphasizes the direction one is heading toward, while 進む emphasizes forward movement or progress itself.
向むけるN3
向かう describes the subject itself moving or facing toward a destination, while 向ける describes directing an object, body part, or resource toward something.

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赴おもむくN1
向かう is the common modern verb for heading toward or facing something, whereas 赴く carries a more formal, written tone.
行いくN5
向かう emphasizes heading in a direction or facing toward a destination, while 行く simply states the act of going there.

Opposites

遠とおざかるN1sense 2
向かう means to head toward something, while 遠ざかる means to move away from it.

Don't confuse with

向むくN3sense 1
向かう means to move toward or face a direction as an intransitive action, while 向く overlaps in meaning 'to face' but also means 'to be suited for', causing confusion for learners.
迎むかえるN5
向かう means to head toward or face a direction, while 迎える means to go meet or welcome someone coming toward you; learners sometimes confuse them because both share the kanji 向/迎 and involve movement toward something.
立たち向むかうN1
向かう just means to head or turn toward something with no confrontational nuance, while 立ち向かう specifically means to stand up to a difficulty or opponent.

Word family· 20

立たち向むかうN1
confront; face; stand up to; fight against
向むかい側がわ
opposite side; other side; other party
向むかい合あう
face each other; be opposite
歯は向むかうN1
defy; oppose; rise against; turn on
真ま向むかいN2
right opposite; directly across; just in front of

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お向むかい
house across the street; neighbor across the street
向むかい火び
backfire (forest fire defense)
向むかい腹ばら
child of the legal wife
川かわ向むかい
across a river; the other side of a river
手て向むかい
resistance; defiance; opposition
手て向むかう
resist; oppose; defy
来き向むかう
come toward; come facing (us)
相あい向むかい
facing each other; opposite; across from
筋すじ向むかい
diagonally opposite
斜はす向むかい
diagonally opposite; catercorner

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Written forms

向むかうUsage84%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
むかうUsage8%
向むかうUsage8%
Variant spelling without okurigana; less common but still encountered.
対むかうUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Etymology

Derived from the noun 向か (muka, 'facing direction') + verbal suffix ふ (fu), which became う (u) through regular sound change. The kanji 向 carries the meaning 'to face' or 'to turn toward'.