北
北 (běi) means “north”. It is made of 匕 and has 5 strokes, and is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 北 into its parts
What 北 is made of
- 匕 bǐ — spoon
- 乚 — hook stroke
- 丿 — falling stroke
Origin hint: Two people 匕 sitting back-to-back; phonetic loan for "north" (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
北 stroke order
Example sentences
他是北方人。Tā shì běifāng rén.He is from the north.
书店在学校北面。Shūdiàn zài xuéxiào běimiàn.The bookshop is to the north of the school.
Words with 北
- 北边běibiānnorth side
- 北京BěijīngBeijing
- 北方běifāngthe north
- 东北dōngběinortheast
- 西北xīběinorthwest
- 北部běibùnorthern part
- 北极běijíthe North Pole
- 南辕北辙nányuánběizhéto act in a way that defeats one's purpose
Also built with 匕
Quick facts
| Pinyin | běi |
|---|---|
| Meaning | north |
| Strokes | 5 |
| Radical | 匕 (spoon, #21) |
| Pattern | Left–right |
| HSK | HSK 3 (exam 2025) · HSK 1 (2021) |
Questions about 北
What does 北 mean?
北 (běi) means “north”.
How many strokes does 北 have?
北 has 5 strokes.
What is the radical of 北?
The radical of 北 is 匕 (bǐ, “spoon”), Kangxi radical number 21.
What parts make up 北?
北 is made of 匕 (spoon).
Which HSK level is 北?
北 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 1 (2021).
Learn 北 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 (2021) · Group 27: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.