向こう is a noun?

[Bengoshidesu]

Hi. I feel like this should be an obvious answer, but I don’t quite get it and it’s bugging me.

So, Wanikani teaches that 向こう (lvl 8) is a noun, meaning “Over There, Opposite Side, Other Side, Far Away.”

My question is, how is this word not a verb since it ends in う? Or rather, the meaning the word makes sense as a noun, so how can it end inう?

Am I misunderstanding some basic grammar principal here? Thanks!

[banira]

Every verb ends with a kana with u. But not all words that end with an u sound are verbs.

[OmukaiAndi]

運動
観光
作業
健康
復習
復讐

there’s so many that end in U, you could make a complete new language out of them. thankfully there’s kanji, so it’s easier to see.
向こう is a bit special, since it’s derived from 向かう、向く

[Bengoshidesu]

Awesome, thanks. I figured it was something simple I was missing.

[ctmf]

@banira

Every verb ends with a kana with u. But not all words that end with an u sound are verbs.