whereabouts; where someone or something is
Most common in contexts of locating someone or something, especially when their location is unknown; frequent in 行方不明.
彼の行方はまだ分からない。
His whereabouts are still unknown.
警察は行方不明の子どもを捜している。
The police are searching for the missing child.
destination; where someone or something is headed
Refers to the direction, route, or destination being followed, rather than the present location.
子どもは飛んでいく風船の行方を目で追った。
The child followed with his eyes where the balloon was going.
outcome; course of events; direction things will take
Abstract use for how an event, contest, negotiation, election, or situation will develop or turn out.
選挙の行方はまだ読めない。
It is still impossible to predict the outcome of the election.
会議の行方を多くの社員が見守っている。
Many employees are watching how the meeting will turn out.
future; road ahead; journey ahead
A more literary or old-fashioned extension referring to a person's future course in life; modern Japanese often uses 将来, 前途, or 行く末 for this idea.
古い文章では、「若者の行方を思う」の行方が将来を指すことがある。
In older writing, 行方 in a phrase like “thinking of the young person's 行方” can refer to their future.
After the accident, his whereabouts became unknown.
The police did everything they could to find his whereabouts.
The search continued as they tracked where the ship was headed.
The public is watching closely to see how the election will turn out.
The outcome of the negotiations is attracting attention both at home and abroad.
行方 focuses narrowly on where someone or something has gone, while 消息 covers both whereabouts and general news about them.
Rare ateji spelling given; useful mainly for recognition.