Japanese word

南北

Pronunciation

Romajinanboku

Meaning

  • nounnorth to south

Example

日本は南北に長いです。nihon wa nan boku ni naga i de su

Japan is long from north to south.

Illustration for 南北 (north to south)

More examples

この鉄道は南北に都市を結んでいます。ko no tetsu dō wa nan boku ni to shi o musu n de i ma su

This railway connects cities from north to south.

Core concept

Describes the two opposite directions, or the span that connects them across a place.

Common phrases

  • 南北に長いnan boku ni naga i

    be long from north to south

  • 南北に走るnan boku ni hashi ru

    run from north to south

  • 南北を結ぶnan boku o musu bu

    connect north and south

Definition in Japanese

南と北の両方向。また、その両方にわたる範囲。minami to kita no ryō hō kō ma ta so no ryō hō ni wa ta ru han i

Word origin

南北 (nanboku) combines 南 (nan, "south") and 北 (hoku, "north"); 北 is voiced to boku in the compound, which uses their Sino-Japanese readings.

Usage tips

  • The compound appears in 南北朝時代 (nanbokuchō jidai), the name for the period when rival imperial courts existed in Japan.

Other meanings

  • north and southnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word