JLPT N5 kanji · 5 strokes · #153 by frequency
北 — North
- Meaning
- North
- On'yomi (Chinese reading)
- ホク
- Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
- きた
- Radical
- 匕
Stroke order
5 strokes. The stroke to draw is in red; the previous ones are already in place.
Memory hook
Two people stand back to back, each facing away — the one pointing north (北) holds a spoon (匕) and stirs a cold pot.
Kanzen's hook for this kanji. In the app, you can adopt another learner's or write your own.
Common vocabulary
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 北 | きた | north |
| 南北 | なんぼく | north and south, north to south |
| 北アイルランド | きたアイルランド | Northern Ireland |
| 北極 | ほっきょく | North Pole |
| 東北 | とうほく | north-east |
| 敗北 | はいぼく | defeat, loss, reverse |
Sources: meanings and readings based on KANJIDIC2 and JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0) · KanjiVG strokes © Ulrich Apel (CC BY-SA 3.0) · reading selection, French translations and memory hooks: Kanzen.