Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 北 | běi | /peɪ̯²¹⁴/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Mainland China, standard, Taiwan, Sinological IPA) /pu̯ɔ⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA, literary variant) |
|
| 北方 | běifāng | /peɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /pei²⁴ fɑŋ²⁴/ (Mandarin, Dungan, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 北 | pak, pok | /pak̚³²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Xiamen) /pɔk̚³²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Xiamen) |
Hokkien |
The word refers to the compass point. Depending on the context, it can be used as a single character in formal names or as part of longer terms to describe specific regions or directions.
Which one should you use?
The single character 北 is most frequently used in formal compounds or specific names, such as 北极 (North Pole). In contrast, 北边 is the more common way to express 'the north' or 'the north side' in casual spoken directions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The Dungan words бый and быйфон are also used for north. In Hokkien, the form 北 is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Mandarin, you can create the common noun for 'the north' or 'the northern side' by adding the suffix '边' to 北, resulting in 北边. To refer to the north as a general region or area, use the form 北方.
How do you pronounce it?
The Hokkien form 北 is pronounced as pak or pok.
Did you know?
- The character 北 is an ideogram of two people standing back to back. This visual representation is why the character originally meant 'back' before it became the word for 'north'.
- In traditional Chinese culture, houses are often built on a north-south axis so that the front of the building faces south. This makes 'north' the direction toward which one's back is naturally oriented.
- The concept of 'north' in Chinese culture is deeply tied to 'fengshui', a practice where the orientation of a building is essential for balancing energy.
Examples in context
- 指南针指向北边。The compass points to the north.This example shows how to use 北 to describe a compass direction.Tatoeba #3470101 by GlossaMatik, translation #681573 by Source_VOA
- 到北极可不容易。To reach the North Pole is not easy.This example uses 北 in the term for the North Pole.Tatoeba #9958353 by GlossaMatik, translation #321293 by shekitten
- 平壤是北韓城市。Pyongyang is a city in North Korea.This example uses 北 to specify a location in North Korea.Tatoeba #13519107 by LeviHighway, translation #13238026 by atitarev
- 北京在中国的北方。Beijing is in the north of China.
- 游泳池在公园的北边。The swimming pool is on the north side of the park.
- 下个月我要去中国的北方。I will travel to the north of China next month.
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a map in a park.
- 梓涵 Zihan這條路是往北走的嗎？Zhè tiáo lù shì wǎng běi zǒu de ma?Is this road heading north?
- 志强 Zhiqiang對，我們要往北走。Duì, wǒmen yào wǎng běi zǒu.Yes, we need to go north.
- 梓涵 Zihan那樣會很遠嗎？Nà yàng huì hěn yuǎn ma?Will it be very far?
- 志强 Zhiqiang不算太遠，走路就到了。Bù suàn tài yuǎn, zǒulù jiù dào le.It's not too far, we can just walk there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “north” translations and entries 北, 北方, 北, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 北, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
