This is the 7340th most frequent German word.
gen
"Gen" in German means "gene" in English, referring to the basic unit of heredity in living organisms.
Here, 'gen' is used as a directional preposition meaning 'towards' or 'to' in poetic or formal language.
Wir fahren gen Norden, um die Berge zu sehen.
We are heading north to see the mountains.
In this sentence, 'gen' implies a direction upwards, showing its use in expressions involving direction or orientation.
Er schaute gen Himmel und dachte an die Zukunft.
He looked up to the sky and pondered about the future.
'Gen' here illustrates movement or migration in a specific direction, common in descriptive or poetic contexts.