向かう

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 駅に向かう。▶ —
   I head to the station.
2. 前向きに考える。▶ —
   I think positively.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Mukau (向かう) is the godan intransitive verb for "to face / head toward / confront" — kanji 向 (kou) means direction or facing. 向 readings split: on-yomi kou (koujou advancement, houkou direction), Yamato muka- (mukau head toward, muku face), Yamato mukou (向こう the other side / yonder). Cluster: (1) physical heading — eki ni mukau (head to the station), gakkou ni mukau (head to school); (2) abstract confrontation — teki ni mukau (face the enemy), mondai ni mukau (tackle the problem); (3) temporal — aki ni mukau (heading into autumn). The cultural pair maemuki (forward-facing = positive, proactive) vs ushiromuki (backward-facing = negative, passive) is a workplace, school, and psychology staple — maemuki ni kangaeru (think positively) is canonical. 向 family: houkou (direction), koujou (improvement), keikou (tendency), koujoushin (drive to improve). Japan-specific mukou san-gen ryou-donari names "the three houses across plus two on each side equals five neighboring households," the urban Japanese unit of close neighbors. Korean hyangha-da / matseo-da and Chinese xiang / chao xiang diverge. JLPT N5 mukau integrates with muku, mukou, muki, and the 向 cluster.

Quick check

1. Cultural code of maemuki (前向き)?

   • Forward-facing = positive / proactive (a staple in business, education, psychology)
   • Walking forward
   • Preferring front seats
   • Higher rank