へ

へ marks the direction of movement and is pronounced 'e' (not 'he') when used as a particle. It is largely interchangeable with に for motion verbs, but emphasizes the direction of travel rather than the arrival point.

Functions

• Direction or goal of motion: 東京(とうきょう)へ行(い)く (go toward Tokyo)
• Addressee in formal writing, especially letters: 先生(せんせい)へ (to the teacher)

SIMILAR WORDS (に):

• へ = direction/orientation (heading toward)
• に = destination/arrival (getting there)

Watch out

へ cannot replace に for:

• Existence: 部屋(へや)にいる (✓), not 部屋(へや)へいる (✗)
• Indirect objects of giving/receiving verbs: 友達(ともだち)にあげる (✓), not 友達(ともだち)へあげる (✗) — this is different from the addressee use below, where への marks a letter or message's destination rather than a verb's indirect object
• Time: 三時(さんじ)に (✓), not 三時(さんじ)へ (✗)

へ is common in formal writing and letters (田中様(たなかさま)へ). The pattern への creates a noun modifier: 成功(せいこう)への道(みち) (road to success).