北きたの方かた

also: きたのほう

き

た

の

か

た

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

north; northern direction

Refers to the direction north or the northern area. The reading きたのほう is also used but less common.

駅えきの北きたの方かたに公こう園えんがあります。

There is a park to the north of the station.

2

noun

wife of a nobleman; lady

honorific or respectful (sonkeigo)historical term

Only with reading きたのかた

Historical honorific term for the legal wife of a high-ranking noble, especially in the Heian period. Only read きたのかた.

源げん氏じ物もの語がたりでは、北きたの方かたが重じゅう要ような役やく割わりを果はたす。
In The Tale of Genji, the lady of the north plays an important role.

Kanji

北north
方direction, person, alternative

Related words

北きた
Simply means 'north'; 北の方 is more specific, meaning 'the northern direction' or 'the north side'.
奥おく方がた
A respectful term for a wife, but not limited to historical contexts; 北の方 is specifically a historical term for a nobleman's wife.

Built from

北きた+方かた

Written forms

北の方Usage100%
- きたのかた
  Standard kanji spelling for both the directional and historical honorific senses.
- きたのほう
  Alternate reading for the directional sense; きたのかた is more common.
きたのほう

Etymology

Literally 'the direction of the north' or 'the person of the north'. The historical sense comes from the Heian-period custom of referring to a nobleman's principal wife by the location of her residence, which was often in the northern part of the mansion.