<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.2.0" /> <title></title> </head> <body> <p>向 (xiàng) is a preposition that means "towards," and is used often when expressing or referring to a certain point.</p> <h2 id="used-as-towards">Used as "Towards"</h2> <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3> <p>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.</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>向 + [Direction Word] + Verb</p> </div> <div class="jiegou"> <p>向 + Person + Verb</p> </div> <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><em>向</em> 东 走 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> dōng zǒu.</span><span class="trans">Walk towards east.</span></li> <li><em>向</em> 前 看 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> qián kàn.</span><span class="trans">Look forward.</span></li> <li><em>向</em> 左 转 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> zuǒ zhuǎn.</span><span class="trans">Turn left.</span></li> <li>老师 正 <em>向</em> 我们 走 来 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎoshī zhèng <em>xiàng</em> wǒmen zǒu lái.</span><span class="trans">The teacher is walking up towards us.</span></li> <li>不要 <em>向</em> 我 开枪 ！<span class="pinyin">Bùyào <em>xiàng</em> wǒ kāiqiāng!</span><span class="trans">Don't shoot at me .</span></li> <li>你 需要 <em>向</em> 他 道歉 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xūyào <em>xiàng</em> tā dàoqiàn.</span><span class="trans">You need to apologize to him.</span></li> <li>这 件 事 你 必须 <em>向</em> 老板 汇报 一下 ！<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì nǐ bìxū <em>xiàng</em> lǎobǎn huìbào yīxià!</span><span class= "trans">You must report this to the boss!</span></li> <li>火车 已经 开 了 ，她 还在 <em>向</em> 我 招手 。<span class="pinyin">Huǒchē yǐjīng kāi le, tā hái zài <em>xiàng</em> wǒ zhāoshǒu.</span><span class="trans">The train already took off. She kept waving towards me.</span></li> <li>他 还没 <em>向</em> 我 表白 。<span class="pinyin">Tā hiáméi <em>xiàng</em> wǒ biǎobái.</span><span class="trans">He hasn't confessed to me yet.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="used-as-from">Used as "From"</h2> <p>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):</p> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><em>向</em> 雷锋 同志 学习 ！<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> Léi Fēng tóngzhì xuéxí!</span><span class="trans">Learn from Comrade Lei Feng!</span></li> </ul> </div> <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>你 要 <em>向</em> 好 学生 学习 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yào <em>xiàng</em> hǎo xuéshēng xuéxí.</span><span class="trans">You should learn from good students.</span></li> <li>警察 正在 <em>向</em> 他 的 邻居 了解 情况 。<span class="pinyin">Jǐngchá zhèngzài <em>xiàng</em> tā de línjū liǎojiě qíngkuàng.</span><span class="trans">The policemen are asking his neighbors for more information.</span></li> <li>我们 都 没 经验 ，是 来 <em>向</em> 你 取经 的 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu méi jīngyàn, lái <em>xiàng</em> nǐ qǔjīng de.</span><span class="trans">None of us have experience. We're here to get some experience from you.</span></li> <li>我 不 喜欢 <em>向</em> 同事 借钱 ! <span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù xǐhuan <em>xiàng</em> tóngshì jiè qián.</span><span class="trans">I don't like to borrow money to my colleagues.</span></li> <li>你 会 <em>向</em> 陌生人 求助 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ huì <em>xiàng</em> mòshēngrén qiúzhù ma?</span><span class= "trans">Would you ask strangers for help?</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="Using_"dui"" title="wikilink">Using "dui"</a></li> <li><a href="Expressing_"with"_with_"gen"" title="wikilink">Expressing "with" with "gen"</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href="Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide" title="wikilink">Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide</a> (pp. 84)<a href= "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108">→buy</a></li> <li><a href= "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)" title="wikilink">Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)</a> (pp. 214) <a href= "http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ"> →buy</a></li> <li><a href= "Practicing_HSK_Grammar_(%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E7%B2%BE%E8%AE%B2%E7%B2%BE%E7%82%BC)" title="wikilink">Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)</a> (pp. 77) <a href= "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"> →buy</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="Category:B1_grammar_points" title= "wikilink">Category:B1 grammar points</a> <a href= "Category:Prepositions" class="uri" title= "wikilink">Category:Prepositions</a></p> </body> </html>