Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 の 意い 向こう を 示しめ す to indicate/state one's intention
The company indicated its intention to withdraw.
〈 人ひと 〉 の 意い 向こう を 聞き く to ask/hear someone's intentions
I'll decide after hearing my boss's intentions.
〈 人ひと 〉 の 意い 向こう に 沿そ う to align with someone's wishes
We will try our best to align with the customer's wishes.
〈 人ひと 〉 の 意い 向こう に 反はん する to go against someone's wishes
That decision went against the residents' wishes.
〈 人ひと 〉 に 意い 向こう を 伝つた える to convey one's intention to someone
He conveyed his intention to resign to his boss.
Kanji 嚮 guide, direct, incline to Related words· 9 意思 refers to a person's own will or volition in personal decisions, while 意向 is broader and often describes the stance or intention of a person or group in formal contexts.
意図 stresses the deliberate purpose or aim behind an action, whereas 意向 conveys a more general inclination or plan without necessarily implying a concrete scheme.
思惑 often carries a nuance of hidden motives or expectations, while 意向 is a neutral term for a stated intention or wish.
意向 refers to a specific intention or plan one currently holds (often someone else's, as in 会社の意向 ), while 志向 refers to a more sustained, underlying orientation of one's will or values.
Show 5 more Show fewer 意向 refers to the inner intention or leaning one holds, while 意思表示 refers to the act of actually communicating that intention to someone.
意向 is a formal word for one's wishes or intentions, often in business or official contexts, whereas つもり is casual and personal.
意向 refers to a concrete intention or plan one holds, whereas 意 is the vaguer, more literary notion of one's inner thoughts or feelings.
意向 emphasizes a person's intentions or leanings, while 旨 in the sense of 'instructions/wishes' focuses more on a formally conveyed directive.
意向 refers to one's stated intention or leaning on a matter, while 意志 refers to the deeper, more resolute will behind actions.
Don't confuse with 以降 (いこう ) means 'from now on/onward' in time, a completely different meaning from 意向 (いこう ) 'intention', despite sharing the same pronunciation.
移行 (いこう ) means 'transition/shift' (e.g., to a new system), unlike 意向 (いこう ) which means 'intention'; they are homophones with unrelated meanings.
Written forms 意い 向こう Usage 100%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency in news and general use.
意い 嚮こう Usage <1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 意向 is overwhelmingly preferred.
Etymology Compound of 意 (い , 'mind, thought') and 向 (こう , 'direction, facing'), literally 'direction of thought'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning of intention or inclination.
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