Definitions
(noun)
north
Etymology
Pictograph of two people standing back-to-back. Based on the original meaning "back", now written as 背. The current meaning "north" is a phonetic loan.
About
The character 北 derives from an early pictographic form depicting two figures with their backs turned to each other, embodying the idea of turning away or the back, and its structure, consisting of two similar components placed side by side, maintains this visual concept. Through historical usage, the meaning evolved from referring to the back to specifically denoting the northern direction, a change linked to traditional architectural orientations where the back of a structure faced north, and although vestiges of its original meaning remain in some linguistic compounds, 北 is now predominantly used to indicate north.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
北京是中国的首都。
北方冬天很冷。
我家住在北边。
他去北京旅行了。
北方的气候比较干燥。
从北京到上海有多远？
在北方，人们喜欢吃面食。
由于北方寒流南下，气温下降了很多。