Meaning of 向前
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- forward
- onward
How to use 向前
向前 is used for physical movement forward and also for progress in a figurative sense. It often comes before a verb like 走 or 看. Example: 请向前走。(Qǐng xiàng qián zǒu.) Please walk forward.
向 (xiàng) means to face or head toward, and 前 (qián) means front. Put them together and you are facing the front, so you move forward.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 像前 or 象前 because 像 (xiàng) and 象 (xiàng) sound the same as 向. Only 向, meaning toward, is correct here.
向前 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
向 xiàng · towards · 6 strokes
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前 qián · front · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 向前.
| 前天 | qiántiān | the day before yesterday |
| 前边 | qiánbian | front; the front side |
| 以前 | yǐqián | before; formerly |
| 面前 | miànqián | in front of; facing |
| 方向 | fāngxiàng | direction; orientation |
| 前年 | qiánnián | the year before last |
| 目前 | mùqián | at the present time; currently |
| 前面 | qiánmiàn | ahead; in front |
| 前进 | qiánjìn | to go forward; to forge ahead |
| 前往 | qiánwǎng | to leave for; to proceed towards; to go to |
| 眼前 | yǎnqián | before one's eyes; now |
| 提前 | tíqián | to shift to an earlier date; to do sth ahead of time |
Questions about 向前
What does 向前 mean?
向前 (xiàng qián) means "forward; onward".
How do you write 向前?
向前 is made of 2 characters: 向 (6 strokes), 前 (9 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 向前 an HSK word?
Yes. 向前 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 向前看 mean?
向前看 (xiàng qián kàn) literally means to look forward. It is often used to encourage someone to focus on the future instead of the past.
What is the difference between 向前 and 往前?
Both mean forward and are often interchangeable, as in 向前走 and 往前走. 往前 (wǎng qián) is more common in casual speech and directions, while 向前 sounds a bit more formal and is used more in slogans and figurative language.