Mastering Japanese Grammar: 向け (muke) – Made for / Intended for

Mastering Japanese Grammar: 向け (muke) – Made for / Intended for
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

‘向け’ (muke) means ‘made for,’ ‘intended for,’ or ‘aimed at.’ it indicates that something was specifically designed or produced for a particular target audience or purpose.

🎯 Primary Function

To specify the intended recipient or target of an object, service, or action.

📋 Grammar Structure

Noun + 向け (muke) / Noun + 向けの + Noun / Noun + 向けに + Verb
N/A (Primarily used with Nouns)
N/A (Primarily used with Nouns)
N/A (Usually modified via the following verb or copula, e.g., 向けではない)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Common in business reports and marketing presentations to define target markets.

😊 Informal Situations

Used when recommending books, movies, or places to friends based on their preferences.

✍️ Written Language

Highly frequent in product descriptions, advertisements, and newspaper articles.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Common in daily conversations about hobbies and shopping.

💡 Common Applications

Marketing & Products
Used to describe products designed for a specific demographic.
Example: 若者向けの商品 (Products aimed at young people)
Information & Media
Used for media or instructions tailored to a specific skill level.
Example: 初心者向けのガイド (A guide for beginners)
Export/Markets
Used in business to describe goods intended for specific regions.
Example: 海外向けの仕様 (Specifications for overseas markets)
📊
Frequency
High. Common in advertising, business, and daily life when describing targets.
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N3
Example Sentences
Example #1
これは子供向けの映画です。
Furigana: これはこどもむけのえいがです。
Romaji: Kore wa kodomo muke no eiga desu.
English: This is a movie intended for children.
Example #2
当店では、初心者向けのコースも用意しております。
Furigana: とうてんでは、しょしんしゃむけのコースもよういしております。
Romaji: Touten de wa, shoshinsha muke no kousu mo youi shite orimasu.
English: Our shop also provides courses for beginners.
Example #3
外国人向けのガイドブックを買いました。
Furigana: がいこくじんむけのガイドブックをかいました。
Romaji: Gaikokujin muke no gaidobukku o kaimashita.
English: I bought a guidebook intended for foreigners.
Example #4
この製品は海外向けに輸出されています。
Furigana: このせいひんはかいがいむけにゆしゅつされています。
Romaji: Kono seihin wa kaigai muke ni yushutsu sarete imasu.
English: This product is exported for overseas markets.
Example #5
この料理は辛くないので、子供向けに作られています。
Furigana: このりょうりはからくないので、こどもむけにつくられています。
Romaji: Kono ryouri wa karakunai node, kodomo muke ni tsukurarete imasu.
English: Since this dish isn’t spicy, it is made for children.
Example #6
独身者向けのレシピ本が人気です。
Furigana: どくしんしゃむけのレシピほんがにんきです。
Romaji: Dokushinsha muke no resipi hon ga ninki desu.
English: Recipe books for single people are popular.
Example #7
観光客向けの地図をもらいました。
Furigana: かんこうきゃくむけのちずをもらいました。
Romaji: Kankoukyaku muke no chizu o moraimashita.
English: I received a map intended for tourists.
Example #8
このアプリはビジネスマン向けに開発されました。
Furigana: このアプリはビジネスマンむけにかいはつされました。
Romaji: Kono apuri wa bijinesuman muke ni kaihatsu saremashita.
English: This app was developed specifically for business people.
Example #9
高齢者向けに、文字を大きくしました。
Furigana: こうれいしゃむけに、もじをおおきくしました。
Romaji: Koureisha muke ni, moji o ookiku shimashita.
English: For the elderly, we made the characters larger.
Example #10
このマンションは一人暮らし向けだ。
Furigana: このマンションはひとりぐらしむけだ。
Romaji: Kono manshon wa hitorigurashi muke da.
English: This apartment building is intended for people living alone.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Intentional Target
It emphasizes the creator’s intention.
Example: この映画は大人向けだ。(This movie is intended for adults.)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ 子供向きに作られたおもちゃ (when the toy was specifically designed for children).
✅ 向け (muke) is correct here because it’s a design choice.
Use ‘muke’ for intentional design, and ‘muki’ for natural suitability.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral; acceptable in all politeness levels.
Social Situations: Essential in consumer-facing industries like retail, tourism, and media.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.

🔍 Subtle Differences

向け (muke) vs 向き (muki)
‘Muke’ means specifically made for a target. ‘Muki’ means naturally suitable for something, regardless of original intent.
When to use: Use ‘muke’ for products/services. Use ‘muki’ for personality traits or natural conditions (e.g., ‘He is suited for teaching’).

📝 Conjugation Notes

Noun + 向け (muke) functions as a suffix. When modifying another noun, use ‘向けの’ (muke no). When modifying a verb (like ‘to make’ or ‘to sell’), use ‘向けに’ (muke ni).

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

The ‘ke’ is short and crisp. Ensure you don’t confuse it with ‘muki’.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ‘muke’ as ‘direction’ (muku – to face). It is ‘directed’ towards a specific group.

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