The term "ni" is a Japanese particle that serves various grammatical functions in sentences. It is commonly used to indicate a specific location, time, or direction, similar to the English preposition "to." For example, in the sentence "学校に行く" (gakkou ni iku), it means "to go to school." In addition to indicating direction, "ni" can also denote the target of an action. For instance, in "友達に会う" (tomodachi ni au), it translates to "to meet a friend." This versatility makes "ni" an essential component of Japanese grammar, helping to clarify relationships between different elements in a sentence.