朝 vs 向 vs 往 (towards)
Three arrows, three flavours
- All three point "towards" a direction — with shades of difference.
- morning朝 = facing toward (朝南 = facing south).
- towards向 = toward (concrete and abstract: 向前走, towards向he / him他to learn学习).
- towards往 = toward a destination of movement (往东to walk走, 往里to walk走).
towards向 = toward (incl. abstract)
- towards向he / him他to learn学习 = "learn from him" — towards向 even works figuratively.
we我们toward向him他learn学习。
- towards向he / him他to learn学习 = "learn from him."
Practice
Keep walking straight ahead: 一直 ____ 前走。
往 + destination of movement: 往前走, 往东走.
towards往 = toward a destination
- 往东to walk走 = "head east" — towards往 + the way you're going.
straight一直toward往forward前walk走。
- all along一直往前走 = "keep walking straight ahead."
Practice
Which works for an abstract target (向他学习)?
向 works concretely and abstractly; 往 is for a destination of movement.
Practice
朝 can mean “facing toward” (朝南 = facing south).
Yes — 朝 = facing: 朝南, 朝着门口.
Recap
Key idea
- morning朝 = facing toward (朝南) · towards向 = toward (incl. abstract: towards向he / him他to learn学习)
- towards往 = toward a destination of movement (往东to walk走)
- morning朝 / towards向 can face; towards往 is for going somewhere
Read the full reference: HSK 5 grammar — Comparing similar prepositions.
Explore
Which word completes the sentence?
The three towards-words keep private territory: 朝 owns fixed facing-phrases, 向 owns abstract targets, 往 owns routes and proverbs.