How common it is
北 appears often in everyday Chinese, so it is worth practicing early and reviewing often.
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Pronunciation focus
Say běi slowly first, then repeat it in a short phrase. Listen for the tone shape.
Usage note
北用来指方向，比如北方。
běi lái zǒu fāng xiàng ，rú bǐ běifāng 。
北 is used to indicate direction, such as north.
Context note
北常用于描述地理位置，比如北京。
běi cháng yòng yú miáo huì wù lǐ gé wèi ，rú bǐ běijīng 。
North is commonly used to describe geographical locations, such as Beijing.
5 examples
我家在北边。
wǒ jiā zài běi biān。
My house is on the north side.
北方的冬天很冷。
běi fāng de dōng tiān hěn lěng。
Winter in the north is very cold.
我们去北站坐地铁。
wǒ men qù běi zhàn zuò dì tiě。
We go to the northern station by subway.
北京是中国的首都。
běi jīng shì zhōng guó de shǒu dū。
Beijing is China's capital city.
北方人喜欢吃火锅。
běi fāng rén xǐ huan chī huǒ guō。
People in the north like to eat hot pot.
5 mini stories
小明住在北边，他的学校在南边。
xiǎo míng zhù zài běi biān， tā de xué xiào zài nán biān。
Xiaoming lives in the north, his school is in the south.
北京的天气很冷，我们穿上了北风。
běi jīng de tiān qì hěn lěng， wǒ men chuān shàng le běi fēng。
The weather in Beijing is very cold, we put on our coats.
我们去北站坐地铁，然后在南站下车。
wǒ men qù běi zhàn zuò dì tiě， rán hòu zài nán zhàn xià chē。
We go to the northern station by subway, then get off at the southern station.
北方的冬天很冷，小朋友们喜欢堆雪人。
běi fāng de dōng tiān hěn lěng， xiǎo péng yǒu men xǐ huan duī xuě rén。
Winter in the north is very cold, little friends like to make snowmen.
北京的冬天很冷，小华穿上了北风。
běi jīng de dōng tiān hěn lěng， xiǎo huá chuān shàng le běi fēng。
The winter in Beijing is very cold, Xiaohua put on his coat.