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[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)

Similar to

- [Expressing "toward" with "wang"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22toward%22_with_%22wang%22) (B1) - [Using "dui" with verbs](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_%22dui%22_with_verbs) (B1) - [Verbs followed by "gei"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Verbs_followed_by_%22gei%22) (B1)

Used for

Keywords

[向](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%90%91)

Translations

[towards](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Towards), [from](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/From)

[![Chinese-grammar-wiki-xiang4.jpg](Expressing%20%22towards%22%20with%20%22xiang%22%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/300px-Chinese-grammar-wiki-xiang4.jpg "fig:Chinese-grammar-wiki-xiang4.jpg"){width="300" height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-xiang4.jpg)

向 (xiàng) is a preposition that means "towards" and is used often when expressing or referring to a certain point.

Contents -------- [hide]([# "wikilink")\]

- [1 Used as "towards"](#Used_as_.22towards.22 "wikilink") - [1.1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [1.2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [2 Used as "from"](#Used_as_.22from.22 "wikilink") - [2.1 Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink") - [3 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [4 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [4.1 Books](#Books "wikilink")

Used as "towards" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Structure When used as a preposition, "向" indicates an action that is performed towards a reference point but doesn't have any actual motion towards that point.

向 + Direction / Person + Verb

### Examples

- *向* 东走。*Xiàng* dōng zǒu.Walk to the east. - *向* 前看。*Xiàng* qián kàn.Look forward. - *向* 左转。*Xiàng* zuǒ zhuǎn.Turn left. - 老师正 *向* 我们走来。Lǎoshī zhèng *xiàng* wǒmen zǒu lái.The teacher is walking towards us. - 火车已经开了，她还在 *向* 我招手。Huǒchē yǐjīng kāi le, tā hái zài *xiàng* wǒ zhāoshǒu.The train already took off. She kept waving towards me. - 你必须 *向* 他道歉！Nǐ bìxū *xiàng* tā dàoqiàn!You must apologize to him! - 这件事你应该 *向* 老板汇报一下。Zhè jiàn shì nǐ yīnggāi *xiàng* lǎobǎn huìbào yīxià.You should report this to the boss!

Used as "from" ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Whereas in English we would say "learn from someone," in Chinese this would be expressed as "learn toward someone," as in the following example (and famous propaganda slogan):

- *向* 雷锋同志学习！*Xiàng* Léi Fēng tóngzhì xuéxí!Learn from Comrade Lei Feng!

More examples: ### Examples

- 我不喜欢 *向* 朋友借钱。Wǒ bù xǐhuan *xiàng* péngyou jiè qián.I don't like to borrow money from my friends. - 你会 *向* 陌生人求助吗？Nǐ huì *xiàng* mòshēngrén qiúzhù ma?Would you ask strangers for help? - 我们都没经验，是来 *向* 你请教的。Wǒmen dōu méi jīngyàn, lái *xiàng* nǐ qǐngjiào de.None of us have experience. We're here to ask you for advice.

See also ------------------------------------------------------- - [Using "dui"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_%22dui%22) - [Expressing "toward" with "wang"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22toward%22_with_%22wang%22) - [Expressing "with" with "gen"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22with%22_with_%22gen%22) Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide) (pp. 84) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2xCpX2m) - [Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Chinese_Grammar_-_Broken_down_into_100_items_-_Basic_and_Intermediate_Levels_(%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E7%99%BE%E9%A1%B9%E8%AE%B2%E7%BB%83_-_%E5%88%9D%E4%B8%AD%E7%BA%A7)) (pp. 214) \[ →buy\] - [Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Practicing_HSK_Grammar_(%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E7%B2%BE%E8%AE%B2%E7%B2%BE%E7%82%BC)) (pp. 77) [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001N6R7DI&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001N6R7DI)

[Categories](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories): - [B1 grammar points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points) - [Prepositions](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/gramwiki/?title=Category:Prepositions&action=edit&redlink=1)

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