---
title: "Yixiang Meaning: 一向 (always) or 意向 (intention)?"
description: "一向 (yīxiàng) means “always (up to now); consistently; all along”. Not the yixiang you heard? See 意向. Hear its tones, see what 一 and 向 each mean and a real sentence that uses it."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/yixiang"
published: "2026-10-21"
updated: "2026-11-06"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[What does it mean in Chinese?](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning)

# What does 一向 mean?

猫头鹰māotóuyīngowl

一向 yīxiàng

## always (up to now); consistently; all along

## It can also mean

- lately; recently

## Its characters

1. 一 yī one
2. 向 xiàng always

## In a sentence

他一向很少生气。 He has always rarely gotten angry.

诸葛亮说：“司马懿知道我**一向**小心，不会冒险，看到这个样子，就怀疑有埋伏。

From [空城计 · The Empty Fort Strategy: Zhuge Liang's famous bluff](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/the-empty-fort-strategy-zhuge-liang#library-word-620-622)

[More about 一向](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%80%E5%90%91)

## Other words said yixiang

- [意向yìxiàngintention](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%84%8F%E5%90%91)

## More words with 一 or 向

- [单一 dānyī](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/danyi)
- [导向 dǎoxiàng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/daoxiang)
- [定向 dìngxiàng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/dingxiang)
- [独一无二 dúyī-wú’èr](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/duyiwuer)
- [方向 fāngxiàng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/fangxiang)
- [横向 héngxiàng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/hengxiang)
- [进一步 jìnyībù](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/jinyibu)
- [流向 liúxiàng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/liuxiang)
- [面向 miànxiàng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/mianxiang)
- [偏向 piānxiàng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/pianxiang)

## Keep 一向 for Review

A free account keeps it, and Review brings it back just before you’d forget it.

## Look up another word

## See any word in its sentence

Get a card like this for every word on any page or YouTube subtitle.

[Add to Chrome](https://mandarinthewild.com/go/chrome?from=%2Fmeaning%2Fyixiang) [Read in the Library](https://mandarinthewild.com/library)

[All 214 Chinese radicals](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-radicals)

[The best free Chinese listening practice](https://mandarinthewild.com/guides/chinese-listening-practice-resources)
