Chinese character for south: 南 (nán)
The Chinese character for south is 南 (nán). It means south and appears in 南方 (nánfāng, the south) and 指南针 (zhǐnánzhēn, compass, literally 'south-pointing needle'). Traditional Chinese maps placed south at the top.
How 南 is built
The origin of 南 is debated. Ancient forms are often read as a musical bell or drum hung from a frame, borrowed for the word south. As a memory aid, look for 十 on top and a frame with strokes inside, like a house that faces south toward the warm sun. Chinese houses and palaces traditionally face south. 南 is identical in simplified and traditional Chinese.
南 nán · south
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 丷ha — kwukyel
- 丶 — dot
- 干gàn — dry (gān)
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
Origin hint: A musical bell (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
How 南 is used
Before you use it as a tattoo or design: 南 is identical in both scripts and is also a common surname, Nam or Nan.
Questions
What is the Chinese character for south?
南 (nán) means “south”.
How do you pronounce 南?
南 is pronounced nán.