向往 (xiàngwǎng) · to yearn for

向往 (xiàngwǎng) means “to yearn for; to look forward to”. It is written with 2 characters: 向 (towards) + 往 (towards). It is an old HSK 6 word (HSK 2.0).

How 向往 is built

The characters

向 xiàng · towards

What 向 is made of

口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
  - 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke

往 wǎng · towards

What 往 is made of

彳chì — to step with the left foot
- 丨 — vertical stroke
王wáng — king
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 土tǔ — earth
  - 十 — ten
  - 一 — horizontal stroke

Origin hint: 彳 gives the meaning, 王 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

她一直向往大城市的生活。Tā yìzhí xiàngwǎng dàchéngshì de shēnghuó.She has always longed for big-city life.

很多人向往去西藏旅行。Hěnduō rén xiàngwǎng qù xīzàng lǚxíng.Many people dream of travelling to Tibet.

Questions about 向往

What does 向往 mean?

向往 (xiàngwǎng) means “to yearn for; to look forward to”.

How do you pronounce 向往?

向往 is pronounced xiàngwǎng.

Which HSK level is 向往?

向往 is in Old HSK 6.

Related words

Learn 向往 with its group

It is part of Old HSK 6 · Group 198: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

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