に向かって details
toward; facing N — moving, aiming, or oriented in N's direction
あの子、こっちに向かって走ってきたんだよ。
ano ko, kotchi ni mukatte hashittekita n da yo.
That kid came running this way, you know! casual
選手たちは全員、同じ目標に向かって努力しています。
senshutachi wa zen'in, onaji mokuhyou ni mukatte doryoku shite imasu.
All the athletes are working hard toward the same goal. neutral
- formal
Examples
toward; facing — physical or figurative movement, aim, or orientation; also speaking or gesturing directly at someone
あの子、こっちに向かって走ってきたんだよ。
ano ko, kotchi ni mukatte hashittekita n da yo.
That kid came running this way, you know! casual
選手たちは全員、同じ目標に向かって努力しています。
senshutachi wa zen'in, onaji mokuhyou ni mukatte doryoku shite imasu.
All the athletes are working hard toward the same goal. neutral
首相は記者団に向かって、今後の方針を力強く語った。
shushou wa kishadan ni mukatte, kongo no houshin o chikarazuyoku katatta.
The prime minister addressed the press corps, speaking forcefully about the future policy direction. formal
Formation
{N}にむかってattaches to noun
Variant notes
- に向かい — て-drop — written narration and formal instructions; 出口に向かい、避難してください. Never in conversation.
Related patterns
Similar
Both can gloss "toward," but に向かって marks a literal or figurative DIRECTION someone or something faces, moves, or aims at (出口に向かって走る、目標に向かって努力する), while に対して marks the TARGET of an attitude or reaction with no motion or facing implied (子供に対して厳しい) — 彼に向かって厳しい is simply ill-formed, since 向かって needs a motion or address verb and 厳しい supplies neither.
Lookalikes
Both are built on 向く／向ける and share the kanji 向, but に向かって is a verbal phrase marking active direction — someone or something is moving, aiming, or oriented toward N right now (出口に向かって走る), while 向け is a labelling marker with no motion at all — it tags a product, service, or content as built for an audience, taking の before a noun, に before a verb, or だ／です as a predicate (子供向けの本, 子供向けに作る, 法人向けです) — swapping them either turns "running toward the exit" into nonsense or drains the labelling sense out of a market tag.