北ほく北ほく東とう

ほ

く

ほ

く

と

う

Common word

Meanings

1

noun

north-northeast; north-north-east

Compass direction between north and northeast, conventionally 22.5 degrees east of north. Used in weather, navigation, maps, and direction descriptions.

船ふねは北ほく北ほく東とうへ進すすんだ。

The ship headed north-northeast.

風かぜは北ほく北ほく東とうから吹ふいている。

The wind is blowing from the north-northeast.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉は〈場ば所しょ〉の北ほく北ほく東とうにあるX is located north-northeast of Y
この島しまは本ほん州しゅうの北ほく北ほく東とうにある。
This island is located north-northeast of Honshu.
北ほく北ほく東とうの風かぜが吹ふくa north-northeast wind blows
今日きょうは北ほく北ほく東とうの風かぜが吹ふいている。
Today a north-northeast wind is blowing.

Kanji

北north
東east

Opposites

南なん南なん西せい
南南西 (south-southwest) is the compass direction directly opposite 北北東 (north-northeast).

Don't confuse with

北ほく東とうN1
北東 means due northeast (45°), while 北北東 is the finer intermediate direction (22.5°) between north and northeast, so learners often mix up which is more northerly.
北ほく北ほく西せい
北北西 (north-northwest) looks almost identical in writing to 北北東 (north-northeast) but points to the opposite side of north.

Written forms

北ほく北ほく東とうUsage100%
Standard kanji spelling for the compass direction north-northeast.
北ほく々ほく東とう
Variant spelling using the repetition mark 々 for the second 北.

Etymology

A compound of 北, 'north', and 北東, 'northeast', naming the intermediate compass direction. The variant 北々東 uses 々 to repeat 北.