běi fāng
the north
北方很冷。
Běifāng hěn lěng.
The north is very cold.
我来自北方。
Wǒ láizì běifāng.
I come from the north.
北方人很热情。
Běifāng rén hěn rèqíng.
People from the north are very hospitable.
北方 (běifāng)
north
北方地区 (běifāng dìqū)
northern region
南方 (nánfāng)
south
北方 (běifāng)
north
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The Chinese word 北方 (běifāng) for "north" is composed of two characters: 北 (běi) and 方 (fāng). The character 北 originally meant "back" or "behind", and was used to refer to the direction opposite to the sun. In ancient China, people faced south when they built their houses, so the north was behind them. The character 方 originally meant "square" or "region", and was used to refer to a specific area or place. When the two characters are combined, 北方 (běifāng) means "the northern region" or "the north".
