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嚮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嚮xiàngto direct, to guide; to favor, to incline towardszg, 17 strokes, radical 口
xiàng(xiang4) T4
  1. 1to direct, to guide; to favor, to incline towards
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

嚮xiàng(xiang4)

The character 嚮 (xiàng) conveys the meaning of directing or guiding someone towards something. It can also imply a favorable inclination or preference towards a particular direction, idea, or person. This word is commonly used in contexts involving leadership, guidance, or expressing preferences.

Strokes17Radical口
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of guidance is often tied to traditional values such as respect for elders and authority figures. This character may appear in contexts where seeking direction from someone of higher status is emphasized, reflecting the hierarchical nature of relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a guiding voice (the sound 'xiàng') that leads you through a winding path. The character 嚮 consists of the radical for 'mouth' (口), symbolizing speaking or directing, combined with '向' which means 'to face or direct towards.' Visualize someone calling out directions to you, leaning towards the path they favor.

Meanings of 嚮

xiàng(xiang4)
1to direct, to guide; to favor, to incline towards
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 嚮

嚮Simplified
17Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嚮

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Podcast: 嚮

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AI Study Notes for 嚮

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 嚮 with other similar-sounding words like 向 (xiàng), which also means 'to face' but does not carry the guiding nuance. This word is more formal and used in contexts where authority or preference is expressed. Be careful with the tone; the correct pronunciation is important to avoid misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Though 嚮 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with words like 向 (xiàng) and 指导 (zhǐdǎo - to guide). Students at this level should focus on recognizing how the character is used in formal contexts, especially in literature or speeches.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 嚮 with 向, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我嚮这个计划' instead of '我向这个计划倾斜' (I lean towards this plan) mixes up the meanings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嚮

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Etymology of 嚮

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Depicts a mouth (口) in a closed space (宀) making an echo sound. Based on the original meaning "echo; sound", now written as 響. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Memory Hint

Towards 向 the country 鄉; 鄉 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 嚮

Depicts a mouth (口) in a closed space (宀) making an echo sound. Based on the original meaning "echo; sound", now written as 響. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

  1. 1The giveawayTowards 向 the country 鄉; 鄉 also provides the pronunciation
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 嚮? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 嚮?

Decomposition of 嚮

IDS Structure⿱鄉向
嚮Full Character
=
鄉xiang1
top
向Xiang4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 嚮?

How to say to direct, to guide; to favor, to incline towards in Chinese

“to direct, to guide; to favor, to incline towards” in Chinese is嚮xiàng

The character 嚮 (xiàng) conveys the meaning of directing or guiding someone towards something. It can also imply a favorable inclination or preference towards a particular direction, idea, or person. This word is commonly used in contexts involving leadership, guidance, or expressing preferences.

When to use 嚮

Common mistakes include confusing 嚮 with other similar-sounding words like 向 (xiàng), which also means 'to face' but does not carry the guiding nuance. This word is more formal and used in contexts where authority or preference is expressed. Be careful with the tone; the correct pronunciation is important to avoid misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 嚮 with 向, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我嚮这个计划' instead of '我向这个计划倾斜' (I lean towards this plan) mixes up the meanings.

Write 嚮

嚮

Practice writing 嚮 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 嚮

Words Containing This Character20
向xiàngtowards
方向fāngxiàngdirection
走向direction
倾向qīngxiàngtrend傾向
向前xiàngqiánforward
一向yíxiàngalways (previously)
转向zhuǎnxiàngto change direction轉向
面向miànxiàngto face面嚮
向上xiàngshàngupward
指向zhǐxiàngaimed at
向往xiàngwǎngto yearn for嚮往
导向dǎoxiàngorientation導向
通向to lead to
取向orientation
方向盘fāngxiàngpánsteering wheel方向盤
意向yìxiàngintention
双向shuāngxiàngtwo-way雙向
去向qùxiàngwhereabouts
定向dìngxiàngto orientate
向来xiàngláialways (previously)向來
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 向 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 嚮

You can say '他嚮往自由' (Tā xiàngwǎng zìyóu), meaning 'He yearns for freedom.'

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