How do you say "north-west" in Japanese?

北西

hokusei

Adverb Kanji

In Japanese, "north-west" is 北西 (hokusei).

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Pronunciation

北西 is written using kanji. Romanised as hokusei, it sounds roughly like "hoh-koo-seh" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Hokusei combines north (北) and west (西). The pattern of forming directions is consistent: north-east is hokutō, north-west is hokusei.

Example sentence

雪雲が北西から来ています。

Yukigumo ga hokusei kara kite imasu.

Snow clouds are coming from the northwest.

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How to remember 北西

Hoku (north) plus sei (west). Cold continental winds sweep from the northwest in winter, bringing heavy snow to the Sea of Japan coast.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

Questions about 北西

How do you pronounce 北西?

北西 is romanised as hokusei. Say it roughly like "hoh-koo-seh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 北西 formal or casual?

北西 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 北西 written in Japanese?

北西 is written using kanji. Hokusei combines north (北) and west (西).

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"North-west" in other languages

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