Japanese word

方

Pronunciation

Romajihō

Meaning

  • noundirection

Example

駅はあちらの方です。eki wa a chi ra no hō de su

The station is in that direction.

Illustration for 方 (direction)

More examples

学校の方へ歩きます。gak kō no hō e aru ki ma su

I walk in the direction of the school.

先生は教室の前の方に立っています。sen sei wa kyō shitsu no mae no hō ni ta tte i ma su

The teacher is standing at the front of the classroom.

Core concept

Marks the general direction or side where a person or thing is located.

Common phrases

  • 前の方mae no hō

    toward the front

  • 後ろの方ushi ro no hō

    toward the back

  • 右の方migi no hō

    toward the right

  • 左の方hidari no hō

    toward the left

  • 上の方ue no hō

    toward the upper part

Similar words

方向hōkō: A direction in which a person or thing travels or lies.
向きmuki: The way that a person or thing faces or points.
方角hōgaku: A direction identified by a compass point or a location.

Definition in Japanese

ある場所から見た、物や人のある方向や側。a ru ba sho ka ra mi ta mono ya hito no a ru hō kō ya gawa

Word origin

方 (hō, "direction") uses the Sino-Japanese reading hō of a Chinese-derived character whose basic sense is direction or side.

Usage tips

  • In the sentence 駅はあちらの方です (Eki wa achira no hō desu), 方 (hō) makes "that way" sound less exact than naming a specific place.

Other meanings

  • sidenoun
  • waynoun

Word lists with this word