How to write 北
Animated Stroke Order of 北
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Stroke by Stroke: 北 Writing Order
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Free Printable 北 Handwriting Practice Worksheets
Meaning of 北
Pinyin
běi、 bèi
Radical
匕
Strokes
5
Definition
north
Usage
★★★★★
北 (běi)
1. Direction, the side on the left when facing the sun in the morning, opposite to “南” (south).
2. To retreat after being defeated.
1. Direction, the side on the left when facing the sun in the morning, opposite to south: 北方 (north direction). 北辰 (in ancient texts refers to the North Star). 北上 (in ancient times, north was considered up, later referring to going to a place north of one's locality, opposite to “南下” (going south)). 北极星 (a bright star appearing in the northern sky, often used by people to determine direction). 北国 (referring to northern China).
2. To retreat after being defeated: 败北.
北 (běi)
Name (Noun):
1. A directional name; opposite to "南" (south) ([En.] north).
2. Defeated troops ([En.] defeated troops).
3. A surname.
北 (běi)
Verb (Verb):
1. To be defeated ([En.] be defeated).
2. To retreat ([En.] retreat).
3. See also bèi.
北 (běi)
Name (Noun):
1. A directional name; opposite to "南" (south) ([En.] north).
【Reference】
1. From Zhu Junsheng's "Shuowen Tongxun Dingsheng": People stand facing light and with their backs to darkness, thus the back is referred to as north.
2. From Laozi: "All things bear the yin and embrace the yang." Wang Li explained that north of the mountains is yin, and south is yang, meaning all things carry their backs toward the south.
3. From Fan Zhongyan's "Yueyang Tower": Therefore, north connects with Wuxia.
4. From Su Shi's "Shizhong Mountain": The sound from the south is muffled, while the north has a clear and transcendent tone.
5. From the "Records of the Historian": Pei Gong sat facing north.
6. From Gui Youguang's “Xiangjiu Xuan Zhi”: Again facing north.
【Example】
For instance: 正北 (exact north); 西北 (northwest); 东北 (northeast); 北邙 (referring to Mang Mountain, north of Luoyang, where many nobles and officials from the Eastern Han and Wei-Jin dynasties were buried; commonly refers to graveyards); 北闱 (in the Qing dynasty, local exams held in Shuntian, now Beijing, were called "北闱", while those in Jiangning, now Nanjing, were called "南闱"); 北里 (brothel); 北阙 (imperial palace, figuratively refers to emperors); 北鄙 (northern border towns); 北雍 (the Guozijian in Beijing); 北邙乡女 (a term referring to deceased women); 北津 (a northern ferry).
2. Defeated troops ([En.] defeated troops).
【Reference】
1. From the "Strategies of the Warring States": The Yan soldiers pursued north, reaching Linzi.
3. A surname.
北 (běi)
Verb (Verb):
1. To be defeated ([En.] be defeated).
【Reference】
1. From the "Records of the Historian": All battles ended in defeat.
2. From Han Feizi: The people of Lu fought under their lord, defeated in battle three times.
2. To retreat ([En.] retreat).
【Reference】
1. From Jia Yi's "Over Qin": The pursuit of the fleeing north resulted in hundreds of thousands of corpses.
3. See also bèi.
1. Ancient form of "背" (to turn against), to violate or breach.
Verb: To violate or betray.
Same as "背". From "Shuowen Jiezi, Northern Section": "北, ride; from two people turned back against each other." From "Strategies of the Warring States": "Eating people and cooking bones, soldiers have no heart to turn back, such are the troops of Sun Bin and Wu Qi."
Verb: To violate or betray.
Same as "背". From "Shuowen Jiezi, Northern Section": "北, ride; from two people turned back against each other." From "Strategies of the Warring States": "Eating people and cooking bones, soldiers have no heart to turn back, such are the troops of Sun Bin and Wu Qi."
[一] pronunciation.
[一] pronunciation.
Hebei province (Hopeh) in north China surrounding Beijing, short name 冀, capital Shijiazhuang 石家莊|石家庄[Shi2 jia1 zhuang1]
NATO / abbr. for 北大西洋公約組織|北大西洋公约组织[Bei3 Da4 xi1 Yang2 Gong1 yue1 Zu3 zhi1], North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Jiangbei district of central Chongqing municipality, formerly in Sichuan / Chongqing's main airport / Jiangbei district of Ningbo city 寧波市|宁波市[Ning2 bo1 shi4], Zhejiang
Hebei Province (Hopeh) in north China surrounding Beijing, short name 冀[Ji4], capital Shijiazhuang 石家莊|石家庄[Shi2 jia1 zhuang1]
the Northern Expedition, the Nationalists' campaign of 1926-1928 under Chiang Kai-shek, against the rule of local warlords
Peking ape-man / Homo erectus pekinensis (c. 600,000 BC), discovered in Zhoukoudian 周口店[Zhou1 kou3 dian4] in 1921
Beijing / capital of People's Republic of China / one of the four municipalities 直轄市|直辖市[zhi2 xia2 shi4]
Shanbei, northern Shaanxi province, including Yulin 榆林 and Yan'an 延安, a Holy Land of Mao's revolution 革命聖地|革命圣地
Same Pronunciation Characters
Same Radical Characters
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Input Method for 北
Pinyin
bei3
Wubi
uxn
Cangjie
lmp
Zhengma
tirr
Four Corner
12110
Unicode
U+5317
Stroke Number Category
HSK Level Category