Chinese Conversation · Level 27
90 words
Chinese word
西北
Pronunciation
Pinyinxī běi
Meaning
- nounnorthwest
Example
飞机向西北飞去。fēi jī xiàng xī běi fēi qù
The plane flies northwest.
More examples
这张地图上标出西北方向。zhè zhāng dì tú shàng biāo chū xī běi fāng xiàng
This map shows the northwest direction.
Core concept
The upper-left sector on a standard north-up map, extending from a direction to the land located there.
Common phrases
西北方向xī běi fāng xiàng
northwest direction
西北部xī běi bù
northwestern region
Similar words
西xī: The direction toward the left on a standard map with north at the top.
北běi: The direction toward the top on a standard map.
东dōng: The direction toward the right on a standard map with north at the top.
南nán: The direction toward the bottom on a standard map with north at the top.
Definition in Chinese
表示介于西方与北方之间的方向，也可指朝该方向移动或指该方位的地域。biǎo shì jiè yú xī fāng yǔ běi fāng zhī jiān de fāng xiàng yě kě zhǐ cháo gāi fāng xiàng yí dòng huò zhǐ gāi fāng wèi de dì yù
Word origin
西北 (xīběi, "northwest") combines 西 (xī, "west") + 北 (běi, "north"), a direct two-character construction for the space between those compass points.
Usage tips
- Chinese can use one directional word both for where something goes and for a broad area, so a movement expression and a regional expression provide different contexts for this word.
Other meanings
- northwestern regionnoun
Opposites
- 东南dōng nánsoutheastnoun
Related words
- 西北方xī běi fāngnorthwestnoun