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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "north-west" in Chinese?
西北
xī běi
In Chinese, "north-west" is 西北.
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Pronunciation
Two syllables: 'shee bay' with first flat, second rising. The rising second tone suggests elevation and northern mountains.
Writing and usage
Xi (west) is six strokes, bei (north) is five. North and west combine to indicate the northwestern direction.
Example sentence
西北地区风很大。
The northwest region is very windy.
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How to remember 西北
Xi then bei - west then north - northwest is often colder and more remote, like mountains.
Related words
- backwards 向后 xiàng hòu
- behind 在后面 zài hòu miàn
- below 下面 xià mian
- inside 里面 ǐ miàn
- left 左 zuǒ
- next to 在旁边 zài páng biān
- south-east 东南 dōng nán
- south-west 西南 xī nán
- west 西 xī
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 西北
How do you say "north-west" in Chinese?
In Chinese, "north-west" is 西北. It is a noun.
How is 西北 written in Chinese?
Xi (west) is six strokes, bei (north) is five. North and west combine to indicate the northwestern direction.
How is 西北 used in a sentence?
Use 西北 as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: 西北地区风很大。 (The northwest region is very windy.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
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"North-west" in other languages
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