北|きたkita[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounnorth
   船ふねはまっすぐ北きたに向むかっている。↗

   The ship is bearing due north.
2. nounthe North; northern territories
3. nounNorth Korea
4. nounnorth wind

• Synonym北方ほっぽうNeutralCovers the north as a direction or as a broad northern region, e.g. 「北方領土」. Leans toward written prose rather than everyday speech.
• Synonym北部ほくぶNeutralThe northern part of a particular area, as in 「九州北部」.
• Synonym北の方きたのかたNeutralThe northern direction; when read 「きたのかた」, it can also mean the lawful wife of a nobleman — a classical usage.
• SynonymノースNeutralLoanword for north, found mostly in names such as 「ノースフェイス」; not used in everyday speech.
• Related北国きたぐにNeutralA cold northern region or country, with a lyrical feel, as in 「北国の冬」.
• Related磁北じほくWrittenWritten/formal term for the north a compass needle points to; it deviates from true geographic north by an amount that varies by place. Used in surveying and navigation.
• Related真北まきたWrittenWritten/formal term for geographic due north, as opposed to the magnetic north a compass shows. Used in surveying.
• Antonym南みなみNeutralThe antonym of 「北」: the south or the southern side.

Default to 「北」 for the north or the northern side. For the northern part of a region use 「北部」, for northern regions 「北方」, for a lyrical cold north 「北国」; in surveying distinguish 「磁北」 from 「真北」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. （きた）方位ほういの一ひとつ。地球ちきゅう上じょうでは、太陽たいようの昇のぼる方角ほうがくを向むいて左ひだり。その他たの天体てんたいでは、2つの極きょく（自転じてん軸じくと地表ちひょうとの交点こうてん）のうち、惑星わくせいについては、北極星ほっきょくせい（地球ちきゅうの自転じてん軸じくの北極ほっきょく側がわの延長えんちょう）に近ちかい方ほうの極きょくを北極ほっきょくとし、また小惑星しょうわくせいや彗星すいせいは、自転じてんが右みぎまわり（時計回とけいまわり）に見みえる位置いちから見みて、向こう側むこうがわの極きょくを北極ほっきょくとして、地表ちひょうにおいて北極ほっきょくの方角ほうがくを北きたとする。
2. （きた）北方ほっぽうの地ち。
3. （きた）日本人にほんじんの姓せいの一ひとつ。