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方位 (ほうい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

方ほう位い

ほ

う

い

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

bearing; direction; compass point

Refers to a specific direction or orientation, often used in navigation, geography, and feng shui contexts.

船ふねは北きたの方ほう位いに向むかって進すすんだ。
The ship sailed in a northerly direction.
方ほう位い磁じ石しゃくで方

ほう

位い

を

確かく

認にん

する

。

Check the direction with a compass.

Written forms

方ほう位いUsage98%
Standard kanji form; high priority.
ほういUsage2%

Kanji

方direction, person, alternative
位rank, grade, throne

Similar words

方ほう角がく
方角 is more common in everyday speech for 'direction', while 方位 is slightly more technical and often used in navigation or formal contexts.
方ほう向こう
方向 is a broader term for 'direction' or 'orientation', including abstract uses like 'direction of one's life', whereas 方位 is strictly about compass bearings.

Etymology

Composed of 方 (direction) and 位 (position/rank), together meaning 'direction and position', i.e., a compass bearing.