北边
北north边side=the north side
北
北 (běi) Chinese Character: north
Two people stand back to back; remember 北 as north.
Practice 北 in the interactive lessonChinese character story: Back to Back, Facing North
北 (běi) means “north.” Its early picture gives you a strong memory clue: two people stand back to back and face opposite directions. The old idea of “back” later developed into a direction word. Use 北边 for “the north side,” 北方 for “the north,” and 往北走 for “walk north.” 北京, Beijing, literally contains 北 “north” and 京 “capital.” Do not confuse běi, third tone, with bèi in 背, which often means “back” or “to carry on the back.”
🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes
Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.
北京
北north京capital=Beijing
北京 is a proper place name.
Chinese character origin and etymology
Early forms of 北 show two people back to back. The original meaning was related to the back, and the graph was later borrowed for the direction north. The older “back” meaning survives in the related character 背, pronounced bèi when it means the back of the body.
The left and right halves of 北 lean away from each other, preserving the visual idea of two figures standing back to back. 北 contains 人 and 人. These parts act like clues: a component may suggest a meaning category, a pronunciation, or simply preserve part of the character's historical structure.
Chinese character stroke order and structure
北 is written with 5 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.
- 人 — one person — shown in an older side-facing form
- 人 — a second person — turned the opposite way
Common usage and sentence patterns
The examples below show 北 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.
北京在中国北方。
Beijing is in northern China.
学校在我家北边。
The school is north of my home.
我们往北走。
We are walking north.
Learning tips for 北
Learn the reading as one unit: běi, with the third tone: falling then rising. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “north,” and write the 5 strokes from memory.
Because 北 contains reusable components, identify those clues before memorizing the whole shape. Compare it with 南 (nán, south); 上 (shàng, up; above); 后 (hòu, behind; after). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.
Quick review checklist
- Can you recognize 北 without pinyin?
- Can you say běi with the correct tone and explain “north”?
- Can you write all 5 strokes in order?
- Can you use 北 in one short sentence?
Related characters
Learn 北 in a themed collection
Compare this character with related beginner words. A themed path helps you notice useful pairs, word-building patterns, and everyday contexts.
Continue learning Chinese characters
Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.
Sources and editorial note
HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.
Last updated: August 12, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.