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

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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 when expressing or referring to a certain point.  
  
== Structure ==
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== Used as "Towards" ==
  
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. An example of this in English is, "She looked inside the window." Note that there is no movement in the action.
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=== 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.  
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
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向 + [Direction Word] / [Person] + Verb
向 + Noun + Verb
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*她 一直 <em>向</em> 我 招手。<span class="pinyin">Tā yīzhí <em>xiàng</em> wǒ zhāoshǒu.</span><span class="trans">She kept waving to me.</span>
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*<em>向</em> 东 走 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> Dōng zǒu.</span><span class="trans">Walk towards east.</span>
*我们 需要 <em>向</em> 他 道歉。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xūyào <em>xiàng</em> tā dàoqiàn.</span><span class="trans">We need to apologize to him.</span>
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*<em>向</em> 前 看 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> qián kàn.</span><span class="trans">Look forward.</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 to us.</span>
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*<em>向</em> 左 转 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Xiàng</em> zuǒ zhuǎn.</span><span class="trans">Turn left.</span>
*我 要 <em>向</em> 你 学习!<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yào <em>xiàng</em> nǐ xuéxí!</span><span class="trans">I want to learn from you.</span>
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*火车 已经 开 了 ,她 还在 <em>向</em> 我 招手。<span class="trans">The train already took off. She kept waving towards me.</span>
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*不要 <em>向</em> 我 开枪 !<span class="trans"> .</span>
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*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>
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*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>
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*这么 重要 的 事 你们 怎么 不 <em>向</em> 老板 报告 一下 ?<span class="trans">Why didn't you report such an important thing to the boss?</span>
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*客户 不 了解 这个 情况 ,你 应该 <em>向</em> 他 解释 一下 。<span class="trans">The client doesn't know this situation. You should explain to him.</span>
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*客户 不 了解 这个 情况 ,你 应该 <em>向</em> 他 解释 一下 。<span class="trans">The client doesn't know this situation. You should explain to him.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Note that whereas in English we would say "learn from someone," in Chinese this would be expressed as "learn toward someone," as in the last example sentence. Refer to the following example (and famous propaganda slogan):
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== 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):
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 +
*<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>
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</div>
  
* <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>
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*我 不 喜欢 <em>向</em> 同事 借钱 !<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yào <em>xiàng</em> xuéxí!</span><span class="trans">I want to learn from you.</span>
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*你 会 <em>向</em> 陌生人 求助 吗 ?<span class="trans"> .</span>
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* <em>向</em> 。<span class="trans"> .</span>
  
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==See also==
  
</div>
 
 
==See also==
 
 
*[[Using "dui"]]
 
*[[Using "dui"]]
 
*[[Expressing "with" with "gen"]]
 
*[[Expressing "with" with "gen"]]

Revision as of 02:36, 14 September 2017

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

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 Word] / [Person] + Verb

Examples

  • 东 走 。Xiàng Dōng zǒu.Walk towards east.
  • 前 看 。Xiàng qián kàn.Look forward.
  • 左 转 。Xiàng zuǒ zhuǎn.Turn left.
  • 火车 已经 开 了 ,她 还在 我 招手。The train already took off. She kept waving towards me.
  • 不要 我 开枪 ! .
  • 老师 正 我们 走 来 。Lǎoshī zhèng xiàng wǒmen zǒu lái.The teacher is walking up towards us.
  • 你 需要 他 道歉 。Nǐ xūyào xiàng tā dàoqiàn.You need to apologize to him.
  • 这么 重要 的 事 你们 怎么 不 老板 报告 一下 ?Why didn't you report such an important thing to the boss?
  • 客户 不 了解 这个 情况 ,你 应该 他 解释 一下 。The client doesn't know this situation. You should explain to him.
  • 客户 不 了解 这个 情况 ,你 应该 他 解释 一下 。The client doesn't know this situation. You should explain to him.

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):

  • 雷锋 同志 学习 !Xiàng Léi Fēng tóngzhì xuéxí!Learn from Comrade Lei Feng!
  • 我 不 喜欢 同事 借钱 !Wǒ yào xiàng nǐ xuéxí!I want to learn from you.
  • 你 会 陌生人 求助 吗 ? .
  • .

See also

Sources and further reading

Books