Difference between revisions of "Expressing "towards" with "xiang""

Latest revision as of 07:35, 19 April 2019

Level

B1 / HSK3
Level

B1
Level

HSK3
Similar to
- Expressing "toward" with "wang" (B1)
- Using "dui" with verbs (B1)
- Verbs followed by "gei" (B1)
Similar to
- Expressing "toward" with "wang" (HSK2)
- Using "dui" with verbs (HSK2)
- Verbs followed by "gei" (HSK2)
Used for
Keywords

向

向 (xiàng) is a preposition that means "towards" and is used often with certain verbs. These usages need to be learned together with 向.

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 to the left.
老师正向我们走来。Lǎoshī zhèng xiàng wǒmen zǒu lái.The teacher is currently 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 departed. She kept waving at 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 matter 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:

我不喜欢向朋友借钱。Wǒ bù xǐhuan xiàng péngyou jiè qián.I don't like to borrow money from 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, shì lái xiàng nǐ qǐngjiào de.None of us has experience. We're here to ask you for advice.

Sources and further reading

Books

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Grammar Box}}
-向 (xiàng) is a preposition that means "towards," and is used often when expressing or referring to a certain point.
+向 (xiàng) is a preposition that means "towards" and is used often with certain verbs. These usages need to be learned together with 向.
-== 向 as "towards" ==
+== 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.
+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.
 <div class="jiegou">
-向 + [Direction Word] + Verb
+向 + Direction / Person + Verb
-</div>
-<div class="jiegou">
-向 + Person + [Verb Phrase]
 </div>
@@ Line 21: / Line 17: @@
 <div class="liju">
-*<em>向</em> 东 走 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> dōng zǒu.</span><span class="trans">Walk towards east.</span>
+*<em>向</em> 东 走 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> dōng zǒu.</span><span class="trans">Walk to the east.</span>
 *<em>向</em> 前 看 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> qián kàn.</span><span class="trans">Look forward.</span>
-*<em>向</em> 左 转 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> zuǒ zhuǎn.</span><span class="trans">Turn left.</span>
+*<em>向</em> 左 转 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> zuǒ zhuǎn.</span><span class="trans">Turn to the left.</span>
-*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>
+*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 currently walking towards us.</span>
-*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>
+*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 departed. She kept waving at me.</span>
-*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>
+*你 必须 <em>向</em> 他 道歉 ！<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bìxū <em>xiàng</em> tā dàoqiàn!</span><span class="trans">You must apologize to him!</span>
-*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>
+*这 件 事 你 应该 <em>向</em> 老板 汇报 一下 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì nǐ yīnggāi <em>xiàng</em> lǎobǎn huìbào yīxià.</span><span class="trans">You should report this matter to the boss!</span>
-*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>
-*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>
 </div>
-== 向 as "from" ==
+== 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):
@@ Line 41: / Line 35: @@
 </div>
-=== Examples ===
+More examples:
 <div class="liju">
-*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>
+*我 不 喜欢 <em>向</em> 朋友 借钱 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù xǐhuan <em>xiàng</em> péngyou jiè qián.</span><span class="trans">I don't like to borrow money from friends.</span>
-*我 不 喜欢 <em>向</em> 朋友 借钱 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù xǐhuan <em>xiàng</em> péngyou jiè qián.</span><span class="trans">I don't like to borrow money to my friends.</span>
 *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>
-*我们 都 没 经验 ，是 来 <em>向</em> 你 请教 的 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu méi jīngyàn, lái <em>xiàng</em> nǐ qǐngjiào de.</span><span class="trans">None of us have experience. We're here to ask you for advice.</span>
+*我们 都 没 经验 ，是 来 <em>向</em> 你 请教 的 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu méi jīngyàn, shì lái <em>xiàng</em> nǐ qǐngjiào de.</span><span class="trans">None of us has experience. We're here to ask you for advice.</span>
 </div>
@@ Line 55: / Line 48: @@
 *[[Using "dui"]]
+*[[Expressing "toward" with "wang"]]
 *[[Expressing "with" with "gen"]]
@@ Line 61: / Line 55: @@
 === Books ===
-* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 84)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]
+{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|84}}
-* [[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)]] (pp. 214) [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]
+{{Source|Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)|214}}
-* [[Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)]] (pp. 77) [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]
+{{Source|Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)|77}}
 [[Category:B1 grammar points]]
+{{HSK|HSK3}}
 [[Category:Prepositions]]
 {{Similar|Expressing "with" with "gen"}}
@@ Line 71: / Line 66: @@
 {{Similar|Expressing "toward" with "wang"}}
 {{Translation|towards}}
-{{Basic Grammar|向|B1|向 + [Direction Word] / [Person] + Verb|你 需要 <em>向</em> 他 道歉。|grammar point|ASGQXARS}}
+{{Translation|from}}
+{{Basic Grammar|向|B1|向 + Direction / Person + Verb|你 必须 <em>向</em> 他 道歉！|grammar point|ASGQXARS}}
 {{POS|Prepositions}}