向かう

• Reading: むかう
• Romaji: mukau
• Kanji breakdown: 向 (kou/mu) — face, turn toward, direction
• Pronunciation: /mɯ.ka.ɯ/

Meaning

To face; to head toward; to go toward. Moving in the direction of a destination or turning to face something.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb conjugating with the う row. Used for heading to a destination (空港に向かう = head to the airport) and facing a direction (南に向かう = face south). The te-form 向かって is used as a directional marker: ～に向かって (toward).

Examples

1. 今から空港に向かいます。 I'm heading to the airport now.
2. 彼は東京に向かう電車に乗った。 He got on the train heading to Tokyo.
3. 全員が出口に向かって走り出した。 Everyone started running toward the exit.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, directions, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From the kanji 向 (kou/mu) meaning direction and facing. The kanji depicts a window facing a certain direction, capturing the sense of orientation and movement toward.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal