# 向 — face toward; facing

向 means “face toward; facing”. It is a JLPT N3 kanji written with 6 strokes. On'yomi: コウ (kou). Kun'yomi: む(く) (muku), むか(い) (mukai), むこ (muko). You'll see it in words such as 向き (muki, “direction; orientation”).

- Meaning: face toward; facing
- On'yomi: コウ (kou)
- Kun'yomi: む(く) (muku), むか(い) (mukai), むこ (muko)
- Strokes: 6
- Level: JLPT N3 · set Size & position 1

## How to remember 向

Sounds like 口: both read コウ.

Parts: 丿 slash · 冂 frame · 口 mouth; box

## Words with 向

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 向き | むき (muki) | direction; orientation |
| 向こう | むこう (mukou) | opposite side; other side |
| 向かう | むかう (mukau) | to face |

## Don't confuse it with

[同](https://moji.ninja/n4-kanji/same/) · [周](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/circumference/) · [尚](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/esteem/) · [洞](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/cave/)

## More in the “Size & position 1” set

[内](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/inside/) · [的](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/target/) · [点](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/point/) · [向](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/face-toward/) · [面](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/surface/) · [在](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/exist/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/face-toward/. Last updated 2026-11-01.