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北: North

By April 16, 2015December 1st, 2016Chinese Word, Japanese Word, Language-Learning, Music

 

北 beǐ

noun
: north
: to be defeated (classical)

Kun Reading

北 | きた kita

noun
: north

On Reading

北 | ほく hoku

 Usage:

北方 bei3fang1: the North; China north of the Yellow River
[ほっぽう hoppou: northern (district); northward]
北京 bei3jing1: Beijing, capital of China; Peking
[ぺきん pekin]

北京烤鴨[鸭] bei3 jing1 kao3 ya1: Peking Duck
北京料理 | ペキンりょうり pekin ryouri: Beijing cuisine

北海道 bei3hai3 dao4: Hokkaido, Japan
[ほっかいどう hokkaidou: Hokkaido (northernmost of the four main islands of Japan)]
北邊[边] bei3bian1: north; north side; northern part; to the north of
北部 bei3bu4: northern part; Tonkin (region in Vietnam)
[ほくぶ hokubu: northern part; the north (of a region)]
北極[极] bei3ji2: the North Pole; the Arctic Pole; the north magnetic pole
[北極 | ほっきょく hokkyoku: North Pole
: (Abbreviation) the Arctic]

北極熊 [北极熊] bei3 ji2 xiong2 : polar bear
[ほっきょくぐま hokkyoku guma: (kana only) polar bear (Ursus maritimus)]  
南北極[极] nan2 bei3 ji2: south and north poles

北斗七星 bei3 dou3 qi1 xing1: Ursa Major; Great Bear; Big Dipper
[ほくとしちせい hokuto shichisei: (astron) the Big Dipper (asterism); the Plough; the Plow]
台北 tai2bei3: Taipei, capital of Taiwan
[たいぺい taipei OR たいほく taihoku]
東[东]北 dong1bei3: northeast; Northeast China; Manchuria
[とうほく tohoku: north-east: Tohoku (northernmost six prefectures of Honshu)]
西北 xi1bei3: northwest [せいほく seihoku]
東[东]南西北 dong1 nan2 xi1 bei3: east, south, west and north; all directions
[東西南北 | とうざいなんぼく touzai nanhoku: east, west, south and north]



Japanese expression | yojijukugo 四字熟語
*南征北伐 | なんせいほくばつ nansei hokubatsu
: (yoji) attacking in all directions

南船北馬 | なんせんほくば nansen hokuba
: (yoji) constant traveling; being on the move; restless wandering



Chinese expression | chengyu 成語 | idiom
北叟失馬[马] bei3 sou3 shi1 ma3
: lit. the old man lost his horse, but it all turned out for the best; fig. a blessing in disguise; it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good

*南征北伐 nan2 zheng1 bei3 fa2
: war on all sides; fighting from all four quarters
OR
南征北戰[战] nan2 zheng1 bei3 zhan4
: war on all sides; fighting from all four quarters

南轅北轍 [南辕北辙] nan2 yuan2 bei3 zhe2
: to act in a way that defeats one’s purpose

喝西北風[风] he1 xi1 bei3 feng1
: lit. drink the northwest wind; cold and hungry
OR
食西北風[风] shi2 xi1 bei3 feng1 (cantonese)
: lit. to eat the northwest wind; have nothing to eat; live on air

 Etymology:


会意 Associative Compound.
Two persons sitting back to back 匕 (bi3: spoon; ladle)



假借 Phonetic Loan.
Original form of 背 (bei4: back).



 
Look-alike:
bi3 | bi4: to compare | to associate with
[kun: たぐい tagui; ころおい kurooi; くらべ kurabe; くらべる kuraberu, ひする hisuru; よそえる yosoeru.
on: ひ hi]

 Music:


台北沉睡了 – Aaron Yan 炎亞綸

作词:陈信延
作曲:张简君伟

夜空突然无声了 路灯终于疲倦了
浪是被人遗忘的情歌
我是梦游或醒著 为什么胸口会温热
是否目睹过什么 太美了

妳或许来过 像一场烟火
燃烧过我的瞳孔 然后狠狠坠落
最美时刻台北沉睡了 浪漫没风声
能找谁证明存在过

有没有爱过 我也想问我
来不及天亮 泪水已经潮起潮落
告别时刻台北沉睡了 叹息很沉默
目中无人拥抱过 不留下线索

当星光都很模糊 不如都别看清楚
就让台北趁日出 起雾
陪我一起迷了路 不失为糊涂的幸福
放弃清醒的地图 太满足

妳或许来过 像一场烟火
燃烧过我的瞳孔 然后狠狠坠落
最美时刻台北沉睡了 浪漫没风声
能找谁证明存在过

有没有爱过 我也想问我
来不及天亮 泪水已经潮起潮落
告别时刻台北沉睡了 叹息很沉默
目中无人拥抱过 不敢说寂寞

我真的爱过 如果妳问我
否则我不会一直感受失去什么
多想今夜台北沉睡了 故事有下落
把妳抱在我怀中 不准再错过

credit: Aaron Yan 炎亞綸

Resources: Chinese Dictionary | Japanese Dictionary