Writing
西北 (xī běi) — how to say "northwest" in Chinese
西北
Northwest
noun
Character composition
west
north
Radicals / Keys
Cover
#146 · yà · 6 strokes
Spoon
#21 · bǐ · 2 strokes
Collocations
往西北走
wǎng xī běi zǒu
walk toward the northwest
中国西北
zhōng guó xī běi
northwest China
Examples
中国的西北地区有很多山。
The northwest region of China has many mountains.
西北很冷。
The northwest is very cold.
Mnemonic

[xī běi-] A kitten named Shi found a compass and followed the needle west 西, then turned north 北. That way he reached his home in the 西北 northwest, where the smell of fish drifted. 🐱🧭
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Frequently asked questions
Northwest meaning in Chinese
"northwest" in Chinese is 西北 (xī běi).
西北 meaning in English
西北 (xī běi) means "Northwest".
How is 西北 pronounced?
It is pronounced xī běi (written as xi bei, xibei). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "northwest" in Chinese characters?
It is written 西北: 西 has 6 strokes, 北 has 5 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order of each character and lets you trace it.
What HSK 3.0 level is 西北?
西北 is on the HSK 3.0 level 3 word list. It is not part of the six-level HSK 2.0 lists.
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