向 xiàng
“towards; to face; to turn towards”
preposition, verbHSK 2 · 2021 list level 2
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
向 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 894: 向 xiàng — Level 3; official annotation 3 (动、介). PDF page 102
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 向
向 is most often a preposition meaning "towards" or "to": it introduces the person or direction an action is aimed at. It is used as 向 + noun + verb, and the phrase comes before the main verb. It is not the ordinary verb for going to a destination.
例句Example sentences
- 请向前走。qǐng xiàng qián zǒu.Please walk forward.
- 他向我点了点头。tā xiàng wǒ diǎn le diǎn tóu.He nodded to me.
- 我想向老师问一个问题。wǒ xiǎng xiàng lǎo shī wèn yí gè wèn tí.I want to ask the teacher a question.
易混词Easily confused
向vs往
Both 向 and 往 can mean "towards", but 往 is more colloquial and is typically used with places or directions of movement (往南走, 往家走), while 向 is used with both directions and people (向前走, 向我点头) and is also a verb meaning "to face".
义项All meanings
- Xiàng: surname Xiang
- xiàng: towards; to face; to turn towards; direction; to support; to side with
- xiàng: to tend toward; to guide; variant of 向
- xiàng: variant of 向; direction; orientation; to face; to turn toward; to
相关词语Related words
- 方向 fāng xiàng