北
north
Readings
On'yomi
- ホク
Kun'yomi
- きた
Nanori
- きら
- ほう
- ほっ
- ほつ
Meaning
北 centers on the cardinal direction north.
Most common words using 北
24 of 340- 北きたN5
north
- 北海道ほっかいどうN5
Hokkaido (island, prefectural-level administrative unit)
- 北朝鮮きたちょうせん
North Korea
- 東北とうほく
north-east
- 北部ほくぶN1
northern part; the north (of a region)
- 敗北はいぼくN1
defeat; loss; reverse; setback
- 北京ペキン
Beijing (China); Peking
- 北九州きたきゅうしゅう
Kitakyushu (city)
- 北欧ほくおうN3
Northern Europe; Nordic countries; Scandinavia
- 北米ほくべい
North America
- 北陸ほくりく
Hokuriku region (of Honshu; incl. Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa and Fukui prefectures)
- 北西ほくせいN1
northwest
- 南北なんぼくN2
north and south; north to south
- 北東ほくとうN1
northeast
- 北側きたがわ
north side; north bank
- 北上ほくじょう
going north
- 北方ほっぽう
the north; northward; northern direction
- 北口きたぐち
north entrance; north exit
- 北極ほっきょくN3
North Pole
- 北緯ほくい
north latitude
- 北海ほっかい
northern sea
- 北風きたかぜN1
north wind; northerly wind
- 北国きたぐに
northern country
- 北アイルランドきたアイルランド
Northern Ireland
Study
Etymology
北 originally depicted two people back-to-back, meaning 'back' or 'to turn one's back.' The direction 'north' likely arose from the ancient Chinese custom of facing south, making north the direction behind one's back.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture two people sitting back-to-back, one facing south and the other facing north. The person facing north shows the direction: 北 is north.
Reading mnemonic
For ホク, imagine a hawk flying north: hawk -> ホク, and the bird heads straight toward the cold northern sky.