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北
北 (readings: ほく, きた; Japanese kanji) means “north”. It is a Grade 2 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 2 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 北海道 (Hokkaido).
What does 北 mean?
| Kanji | 北 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | north |
| Readings | ほく, きた |
| Grade | Grade 2 (Easy) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
How to read 北
北 is read ほく or きた depending on the word.
Example words with 北
| Example | 北海道 (Hokkaido) |
|---|
Practice writing 北 — free
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Updated: 2026-07-14