向かう・向う・対う|むかうmukau[0]heiban (flat)

1. godan verb, intransitive verbto face
   一いち日にち中ちゅうコンピューターに向むかってるから、結構けっこう電磁波でんじは浴あびてる。↗

   I sit in front of a computer screen all day, so I get pretty heavily bombarded by electro-magnetic waves.
2. godan verb, intransitive verbto go towards; to head towards
   あなたは何処どこへ向むかっているのですか。↗

   Where are you bound for?

• Synonym面するめんするWrittenWritten register: buildings or rooms facing a direction, as in 「海に面した部屋」; stresses physical orientation, not movement toward a goal.
• Synonym向くむくNeutralFor turning to face a direction or being suited to something, as in 「右を向く」 and 「教師に向いている」; it does not express heading toward a destination.
• Related向かい合うむかいあうNeutralMeans two people or things facing each other, as in 「向かい合って座る」; use it for mutual facing, not one-way movement toward a place.
• Related立ち向かうたちむかうNeutralBravely confronting difficulties or an enemy, as in 「困難に立ち向かう」; adds a fighting, defiant nuance absent from 「向かう」.
• Related向き合うむきあうNeutralFacing a problem seriously or standing opposite each other, as in 「自分と向き合う」; often about engaging earnestly with issues or oneself.
• Related対抗たいこうWrittenWritten register: contending with a rival, as in 「対抗意識」; it never means facing or heading somewhere, overlapping 「向かう」 only when taking on an opponent.
• Related敵対てきたいWrittenWritten register: treating someone as an enemy with hostility, as in 「敵対関係」; no sense of direction, matching 「向かう」 only in facing an opponent.
• Related対向たいこうWrittenWritten register: facing in opposite directions, as in 「対向車」; mostly used for traffic, not for heading toward a destination.
• Related対するたいするNeutralFacing or being directed at something, as in 「質問に対する答え」; common in both speech and writing, it marks the target of an action rather than movement.
• Related取り組むとりくむNeutralEarnestly tackling a problem or task, as in 「課題に取り組む」; about working on something, not physical facing or movement.
• Related反対はんたいNeutralOpposing something, stressing conflicting opinions, as in 「計画に反対する」; it never means facing or heading somewhere and cannot replace 「向かう」.
• Related抵抗ていこうNeutralResisting or holding out against an outside force, as in 「権力に抵抗する」; centers on defiance, with no sense of facing or heading toward.
• Related直面ちょくめんWrittenWritten register: directly facing a difficulty, as in 「危機に直面する」; used for confronting problems, not for heading toward a place.
• Related差し向かうさしむかうWrittenWritten register: two people face to face, as in 「差し向かいで飲む」; only for two parties directly opposite each other.
• Related相対するあいたいするWrittenWritten register: standing opposite each other or holding opposing positions, as in 「相対する意見」; more formal than 「向かう」.

Default to 「向かう」 for heading toward a place or facing something. For orientation use 「向く」 or 「面する」; for face-to-face, 「向かい合う」; for bravely confronting, 「立ち向かう」; for earnest engagement, 「向き合う」 or 「取り組む」; for a crisis, 「直面」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. ある物ものを真っ直まっすぐ見みるように位置いちする。
2. 目的地もくてきちを目指めざして進すすむ。
3. 目標もくひょうを達成たっせいしようとする。
4. ある状態じょうたいに近付ちかづく。
5. 戦たたかうために近ちかづく。
6. （「に向むかって」の形かたちで）に対たいして。を相手あいてに。