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" originated as a pictographic representation of two figures standing back-to-back, conveying the core idea of the human back or the act of turning away, which led to its early associations with concepts like betrayal and defeat. Its structure in both traditional and contemporary usage consists of two identical components that visually correspond to the character 匕, a structural remnant of its original pictorial form. The meaning transitioned from denoting the back to specifically indicating the cardinal direction north, a shift influenced by the south-facing orientation of classical Chinese architecture, where the building's back naturally aligned with the north. This directional meaning became standard, while the earlier sense persists in compounds like 敗北, referring to a military defeat where one turns and flees.
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。