HSK 3
朝
cháo
朝 (toward, in the direction of)
Explanation
朝 (cháo) is a preposition (a word placed before a noun to show a relationship: at, with, toward...), meaning "toward, facing". It indicates which object or direction the action (looking, shouting, opening...) is directed at.
Subject + 朝 (cháo) + direction/person + Verb. For example 朝南 (cháo nán - toward the south), 朝我 (cháo wǒ - toward me).
when indicating the direction of a directional action such as 看 (kàn - look), 喊 (hǎn - shout), 走 (zǒu - walk), 开 (kāi - open).
朝 (cháo) and 向 (xiàng) are quite similar, both meaning "toward"; but 向 can indicate an abstract direction (向他学习 xiàng tā xuéxí - learn from him), while 朝 leans toward a concrete direction in space.
placing the 朝... phrase after the verb. That's wrong; the prepositional phrase 朝... must stand BEFORE the main verb.
Examples
The main gate faces south.
He glanced to the left.
He shouted loudly toward me: "Watch out!"
Practice
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Learn “朝” effectively
The grammar point “朝” (朝 (toward, in the direction of)) is one of the key structures at HSK 3. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
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