向前 (xiàng qián) — forward; onward; ahead | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

向前 means 'forward / ahead' as a direction, used for physical movement or abstract progress. As an adverb it often precedes a verb (向前走) rather than standing alone.

adverb

forwardonwardahead

Examples

向前。
Qǐng yì zhí xiàng qián zǒu.
Please keep walking straight ahead.
向前。
Tā yǒng gǎn dì xiàng qián mài chū le yí bù.
He bravely stepped forward.
向前，。
xiàng qián Kàn, qián miàn jiù shì tú shū guǎn.
Look ahead — the library is right in front.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

向xiàngto face

向 means to face and 前 means front, so facing forward gives forward or ahead.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

宀宀miánhouse
口口kǒumouth

向 originally drew 宀 (house) with 口 to show an echo in a place; later it was used for direction.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

止止zhǐfoot
舟舟zhōuboat

In the older form of 前, 止 (foot) and 舟 (boat) showed a foot on a boat moving forward; in the current 前 those parts are shortened.

Appears in

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