KaiwaGo北 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
北 means “north”. It is written with 5 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: ホク (hoku). Kun’yomi: きた (kita).
How to write 北 (stroke order)
Write 北 in 5 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
General rules: top before bottom, left before right, horizontal before a vertical that crosses it, and a closing bottom stroke last. Writing in the right order makes handwriting readable and helps you count strokes when you look a kanji up.
Practice writing 北
Trace 北 over the faint model with your finger or mouse, following the stroke order above. Turn the model off to write it from memory.
Readings of 北
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | ホク (hoku) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | きた (kita) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 北 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 北
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 北 | きた kita | north | |
| 北口 | きたぐち kitaguchi | north exit |
北 (kita) means “north”.
北口 (kitaguchi) means “north exit”. Also in this word: 口
FAQ
What does 北 mean in Japanese?
北 means “north”. Common words with it are 北 (kita, “north”) and 北口 (kitaguchi, “north exit”).
How many strokes does 北 have?
北 has 5 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 5.
How do you read 北?
The on’yomi is ホク (hoku) and the kun’yomi is きた (kita). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 北 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 北 is kanji number 96 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.