Learn how to write the four compass directions in Japanese kanji symbols.
Writing the North, South, West, and East in Japanese kanji symbols.
When putting them together, you will put them in the following order.
- North (北)
- South (南)
- West (西)
- East (東)
But, in Japan they are written like this.
- East (東)
- West (西
- South (南)
- North (北)
As you have read so far, there are two different ways to pronounce them in Japanese.
If it is used as a single kanji character, you have to read them as "East-Higashi, West-Nishi, South-Minami, North-Kita".
These are the Japanese original pronunciations that are called "Kunyomi".
When putting them together, you have to read them as "East-Tou, West-Zai, South-Nan, Nort -Boku".
These are the pronunciations that are called "Onyomi", and these are the pronunciations imported from China to Japan.
Free download: North, south, east, and west.pdf
How to write and pronounce them in Japanese.
The pronunciation in parentheses is "Okuri-gana".
Additionally, there are some examples in which these kanji is used. please refer.
The image expands by the click.
| North | hoku | kita |
|---|
English |
Kanji |
Hiragana |
Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| The north | 北 | きた | kita |
| go north | 北上 | ほく じょう | hoku jou |
| Japanese place-name Hokkaido" | 北海道 | ほっかいどう | hokkaidou |
| The orth Pole | 北極 | ほっきょく | hokkyoku |
| North latitude | 北緯 | ほく い | hoku i |
| Northern district | 北国 | きた ぐに | kita guni |
| north of; and northward | 以北 | い ほく | i hoku |
| north of the (Yellow) river | 河北 | か ほく/こう ほく | i hoku/kou hoku |
| Northeast | 北東 | ほく とう | hoku tou |
| The northwest | 北西 | ほく せい | hoku sei |
| The north-northeast | 北北東 | ほく ほく とう | hoku hoku tou |
| The north-northwest | 北北西 | ほく ほく せい | hoku hoku sei |
Family name |
Hiragana |
Katakana |
Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 北 | きた | キタ | kita |
| 北岡 | きたおか | キタオカ | kita oka |
| 北川 | きたがわ | キタガワ | kita gawa |
| 北島 | きたじま | キタジマ | kita jima |
| 北村 | きたむら | キタムラ | kita mura |
| 北原 | きたはら | キタハラ | kita hara |
| 北城 | きたしろ/きたじょう | キタシロ/キタジョウ | kita shiro/kita jo |
| 北里 | きたさと/きたざと | キタサト/キタザト | kita sato/kita zato |
| 北沢 | きたざわ | キタザワ | kita zawa |
...etc. |
|||
By the way, my family name is "原[=Hara]".
The meaning is "Field".
A lot of family names in Japan is Sato, second is Suzuki, and third is Takahashi.
The family name named Hara is the 62nd.
| South | nan, na |
minami |
|---|
English |
Kanji |
Hiragana |
Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| The south | 南 | みなみ | minami |
| The South Pole | 南極 | なん きょく | nan kyoku |
| The Southern country | 南国 | なん ごく | nan goku |
| Southern sea | 南海 | なん かい | nan kai |
| South wind | 南風 | みなみ かぜ | minami kaze |
| Vietnam * (Substitute character) |
越南 | べとなむ | betonamu |
| The southeast | 南東 | なん とう | nan tou |
| The south north | 南北 | なん ぼく | nan boku |
| The southwest | 南西 | なん せい | nan sei |
| The south-southeast | 南南東 | なん なん とう | nan nan tou |
| The south-southwest | 南南西 | なん なん せい | nan nan sei |
Family name |
Hiragana |
Katakana |
Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 阿南 | あなん | アナン | a nan |
| 南条 | なんじょう | ナンジョウ | nan jo |
| 南山 | みなみやま | ミナミヤマ | minami yama |
| 南原 | みなみはら | ミナミハラ | minami hara |
| 南野 | みなみの | ミナミノ | mminami no |
| 南 | みなみ | ミナミ | minami |
| 南田 | みなみだ | ミナミダ | minami da |
| 南島 | みなみじま | ミナミジマ | minami jima |
| 南里 | みなみざと | ミナミザト | minami zato |
...etc. |
|||
| East | tou | higashi |
|---|
English |
Japanese |
Hiragana |
Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| The east | 東 | ひがし | higashi |
| Tokyo | 東京 | とうきょう | toukyou(tokyo) |
| The Orient | 東洋 | とう よう | touyou |
| Oriental | 東洋人 | とう よう じん | tou you jin |
| East side | 東側 | ひがし がわ | higashi gawa |
| The east United States | 東アメリカ | ひがし あめりか | higashi amerika |
| East Japan | 東日本 | ひがし にほん | higashi nihon |
| The Kanto region | 関東地方 | かんとう ちほう | kantou chihou |
| The southeast | 東南 | とう なん | tou nan |
| East northeast | 東北東 | とう ほく とう | tou hoku tou |
| Southeast by east | 東南東 | とう なん とう | tou nan tou |
Family name |
Hiragana |
Katakana |
Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 東野 | ひがしの | ヒガシノ | higashi no |
| 東山 | ひがしやま | ヒガシヤマ | higashi yama |
| 東尾 | ひがしお | ヒガシオ | higashi o |
| 東小野 | ひがしおの | ヒガシオノ | higashi ono |
| 東崎 | ひがしざき | ヒガシザキ | higashi zaki |
| 東坂 | ひがしざか | ヒガシザカ | higashi zaka |
| 東谷 | ひがしだに | ヒガシダニ | higashi dani |
| 東沢 | ひがしざわ | ヒガシザワ | higashi zawa |
| 東条/ 東條/ 東城 |
とうじょう | トウジョウ | tou jou |
...etc. |
|||
| West | sei, sai, |
nishi |
|---|
English |
Japanese |
Hiragana |
Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| The west | 西 | にし | nishi |
| Afternoon sun | 西日 | にし び | nishi bi |
| West side | 西側 | にし がわ | nishi gawa |
| The west wind | 西風 | にし かぜ | nishi kaze |
| The Atlantic Ocean | 大西洋 | たい せい よう | tai sei you |
| The northwest | 西北 | せい ほく | sei hoku |
| The southwest | 西南 | せい なん | sei nan |
| West-northwest | 西北西 | せい ほく せい | sei hoku sei |
| The southwest west | 西南西 | せいなんせい | sei nan sei |
| Kansai (south-western half of Japan, including Osaka) | 関西 | かん さい | kan sai |
| Kansai area people in Japan | 関西人 | かんさいじん | kan sai jin |
| all times and places | 古今東西 | ここん とう ざい | kokon tou tou zai |
Family name |
Hiragana |
Katakana |
Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 西条 | さいじょう | サイジョウ | sai jo |
| 西賀 | さいが | サイガ | sai ga |
| 西園寺 | さいおんじ | サイオンジ | sai onji |
| 西郷 | さいごう | サイゴウ | sai gou |
| 西塚 | にしずか | ニシズカ | nishi zuka |
| 西村 | にしむら | ニシムラ | nishi mura |
| 原西 | はらにし | ハラニシ | hara nishi |
| 西山 | にしやま | ニシヤマ | nishi yama |
| 小西 | こにし | コニシ | ko nishi |
...etc. |
|||
Let's practice writing the Japanese Kanji symbols
The exercise sheet of Japanese Kanji.
Trace on Kanji in numerical order.
Stroke order of north-south-east-west in kanji.pdf
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