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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "north" in Chinese?
北
běi
In Chinese, "north" is 北.
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Pronunciation
One syllable: 'bay' with a rising tone. The tone lifts like looking up to the north star.
Writing and usage
Bei is five strokes in its traditional form, four in simplified. The character itself resembles two people back to back, suggesting opposite directions.
Example sentence
公园在城市的北面。
The park is on the north side of the city.
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How to remember 北
Bei rhymes with 'way' - think of it as the way north, the primary direction. Rising tone suggests going upward.
Related words
- backwards 向后 xiàng hòu
- behind 在后面 zài hòu miàn
- east 东 dōng
- left 左 zuǒ
- next to 在旁边 zài páng biān
- north-east 东北 dōng běi
- north-west 西北 xī běi
- south 南 nán
- south-west 西南 xī nán
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 北
How do you say "north" in Chinese?
In Chinese, "north" is 北. It is a noun.
How is 北 written in Chinese?
Bei is five strokes in its traditional form, four in simplified. The character itself resembles two people back to back, suggesting opposite directions.
How is 北 used in a sentence?
Use 北 as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: 公园在城市的北面。 (The park is on the north side of the city.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
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"North" in other languages
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