西

西語

西语

西政府

赴西


南

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (南):
* → Japanese: 南(なん) (nan)
* → Okinawan: 南(なん) (nan)
* → Korean: 남(南) (nam)
* → Vietnamese: nam (南)

ja-r

→ Japanese: 南(ナン) (nan, “south wind (mahjong tile)”)

This character has been explained as a pictogram (象形) of a hanging percussion instrument (bell), originally identical to the left side of 㱿. Under this hypothesis its borrowing for the word “south” is difficult to explain.
Sagart (1988) instead proposes that it is a pictogram of the front of a house. Archaeological evidence confirms that in antiquity, at least in some regions, houses were built to face south.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g-nam (“sky, sun”) (STEDT; Schuessler (2007); Benedict (1972)); the south is traditionally associated with the sun & light, compare 陽 (OC *laŋ, “light, sun-lit south-side of a hill”).
: If so, cognate with Tibetan གནམ (gnam, “sky”), ནམ (nam, “night”), Tshangla ngam (“sun, noon, day, sky”), Chepang न्याम् (nyam, “sun, sunlight, storm-cloud, weather”).
Alternatively, Sagart (2004) relates this word to Old Chinese *nɨm (revised to *nˤ[ə]m in 2014) "belly, front of the body", further "south" to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-nam (“rib(s)”), as one term for one body-part often shifts its meaning to another body-part nearby.
: If so, 南 is cognate with 妊 (OC *njɯms, “to carry inside one's belly → to be pregnant”), 任 (OC *njɯm, *njɯms, “to carry a burden, especially in front of the body”), also 腩 (OC *nuːmʔ, “belly (of an ox)”), Southern Pumi nõ⁵⁵, Burmese နံရိုး (nam-rui:, “side of the body, rib”), and thus is a semantic counterpart to 北 (OC *pɯːɡ, “north”), which is related to 背 (OC *pɯːɡs, *bɯːɡs, “back of the body”).


東

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (東):
* → Japanese: 東(とう) (tō)
* → Korean: 동(東) (dong)
* → Vietnamese: đông (東)

Japanese: 東(トン) (ton, “east wind (mahjong tile)”)

Jiajie (假借) and ideogram (指事): 束 (OC *hljoɡ) or 橐 (OC *tʰaːɡ) borrowed for sound 東 (OC *toːŋ), with a horizontal stroke added as a distinguishing mark to differentiate the character from 束.
Alternatively, it is also thought to be a pictogram (象形) of either a bundle of faggots tied together or a bag tied at both ends (like a cellophane-wrapped candy with the ends twisted).
Interpreted in the Shuowen Jiezi as an ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) the sun (日) rising behind a tree (木). According to Allan (1991) p. 47-50, the character represents the Fu Sang tree. However, the original form is rather different, hence any interpretation tied to a tree is most likely a folk etymology.
See the top component of 曹 in the original version. See also 柬, 熏, 西 and 鹵/卤.
Cognate with Burmese ထွန်း (htwan:, “be bright”), Chepang थोङ्सा (thoŋ‑, “lighten; be bright”) and Chepang थोङ्ह (thoŋh, “awake time (as opposed to dream time)”) (Schuessler, 2007). Perhaps related to or influenced by 暾 (OC *tʰuːn, “rising sun”).

cog

東亞

东亚

東德

东德


北

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (北):
* → Japanese: 北(ほく) (hoku)
* → Korean: 북(北) (buk)
* → Vietnamese: bắc (北)

→ Japanese: 北(ペー) (pē, “north wind (mahjong tile)”)

Characters in the same phonetic series (北) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) – two men back to back. Originally meaning “back”; the character 背 (OC *pɯːɡs, *bɯːɡs) refers to the original word.
Compare 化, 比, 卬, and 尼.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *bə(q) (“to carry (on back), shoulder”).
The sense of “north” is derived from “back (of body)”: “back” → “to turn the back to; to retreat” → “north”.
The ancient Chinese value the southern direction and houses are traditionally oriented along a north–south axis, as evident in the fengshui theory and in the orientation of buildings in Chinese Neolithic sites. North is the direction the back is oriented to when the person is facing south.
Compare the graphical origin of 南 (OC *nuːm, “south”) (Sagart, 1988).

inh-lite

北移

北京 ― Běijīng ― Beijing (literally, “northern capital”)


東北

→ Korean: 둥베이 (dungbei)

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ peɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ pɐk̚⁵/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻²² pak̚³²/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻²² pak̚³²/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ pak̚³²/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ pak̚³²/

/taŋ³³⁻²³ pak̚²/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ peɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ pɐk̚⁵/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻²² pak̚³²/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻²² pak̚³²/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ pak̚³²/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ pak̚³²/

/taŋ³³⁻²³ pak̚²/

大行政區 大行政區#Chinese

(～大行政區, ～區) (historical) Northeast China (a former greater administrative region of China from 1949 to 1954, consisting of Liaodong, Liaoxi, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Songjiang, Rehe and Suiyuan, Shenyang, Lüda, Fushun, Anshan and Benxi)


東南

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ nän³⁵/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ naːm²¹/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻²² lam²⁴/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻²² lam¹³/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ lam²⁴/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ lam²³/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ nän³⁵/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ naːm²¹/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻²² lam²⁴/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻²² lam¹³/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ lam²⁴/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ lam²³/

(～地區) Southeast China (a region of China, centred on Guangdong and Fujian; overlapping with the regions of South Central China and East China)


北方

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (北方):
* → Japanese: 北方(ほっぽう) (hoppō)
* → Korean: 북방(北方) (bukbang)
* → Vietnamese: bắc phương (北方)

/peɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵/

/pei²⁴ fɑŋ²⁴/

/pɐk̚⁵ fɔːŋ⁵⁵/

/ˈpɛt̚⁵ fɔŋ⁴²/

/paʔ²¹⁻⁴⁵ hɒŋ⁵³³/

/paʔ²⁻⁴ hɒŋ⁵⁴⁴/

/pak̚³²⁻⁴ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/pak̚³²⁻⁵ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/pak̚⁵⁻²⁴ hɔŋ³³/

/pak̚⁵⁻²⁴ hŋ̍³³/

/pak̚³²⁻⁴ hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/pak̚³²⁻⁵ hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/peɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ fɑŋ⁵⁵/

/pei²⁴ fɑŋ²⁴/

/pɐk̚⁵ fɔːŋ⁵⁵/

/ˈpɛt̚⁵ fɔŋ⁴²/

/paʔ²¹⁻⁴⁵ hɒŋ⁵³³/

/paʔ²⁻⁴ hɒŋ⁵⁴⁴/

/pak̚³²⁻⁴ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/pak̚³²⁻⁵ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/pak̚⁵⁻²⁴ hɔŋ³³/

/pak̚⁵⁻²⁴ hŋ̍³³/

/pak̚³²⁻⁴ hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/pak̚³²⁻⁵ hŋ̍⁴⁴/

(specifically) northern China (usually referring to the area to the north of the Yellow River)


西南

/ɕi⁵⁵ nän³⁵/

/sɐi̯⁵⁵ naːm²¹/

/se⁴⁴⁻³³ lam²³/

/se⁴⁴⁻³³ lam²⁴/

/se⁴⁴⁻²² lam²⁴/

/ɕi⁵⁵ nän³⁵/

/sɐi̯⁵⁵ naːm²¹/

/se⁴⁴⁻³³ lam²³/

/se⁴⁴⁻³³ lam²⁴/

/se⁴⁴⁻²² lam²⁴/

Tibet Autonomous Region
Tibet Autonomous Region

(～地區) Southwest China (a region of China; consisting of Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and the Tibet Autonomous Region)


西北

/ɕi⁵⁵ peɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sɐi̯⁵⁵ pɐk̚⁵/

/ɬai⁵³³⁻¹³ ⁽ᵖ⁻⁾aʔ²¹/

/ɬai⁵⁴⁴⁻²⁴ ⁽ᵖ⁻⁾βaʔ²/

/sai⁴⁴⁻²² pak̚³²/

/sai⁴⁴⁻³³ pak̚³²/

/se⁴⁴⁻³³ pak̚³²/

/se⁴⁴⁻²² pak̚³²/

/ɕi⁵⁵ peɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sɐi̯⁵⁵ pɐk̚⁵/

/ɬai⁵³³⁻¹³ ⁽ᵖ⁻⁾aʔ²¹/

/ɬai⁵⁴⁴⁻²⁴ ⁽ᵖ⁻⁾βaʔ²/

/sai⁴⁴⁻²² pak̚³²/

/sai⁴⁴⁻³³ pak̚³²/

/se⁴⁴⁻³³ pak̚³²/

/se⁴⁴⁻²² pak̚³²/

大行政區 大行政區#Chinese

(～大行政區, ～區) (historical) Northwest China (a former greater administrative region of China from 1949 to 1954, consisting of Xi'an, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia and Xinjiang)


東方

ja-r

東方(とうほう) (tōhō)

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (東方):
* → Japanese: 東方(とうほう) (tōhō)
* → Korean: 동방(東方) (dongbang)
* → Vietnamese: đông phương (東方)

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ fɑŋ⁵⁵/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ fɑ̃ɻ⁵⁵/

/toŋ⁵⁵ faŋ⁵⁵/

/tuŋ²⁴ fɑŋ²⁴/

/tuŋ²⁴ fɑŋ⁵¹/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ fɔːŋ⁵⁵/

/tuŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ foŋ²⁴/

/tʊŋ⁴⁴ fɔŋ⁴⁴/

/tɔŋ³³ hɔŋ³³/

/tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻²² hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/taŋ³³ hŋ̍³³/

/taŋ³³⁻²³ huaŋ³³/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ fɑŋ⁵⁵/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ fɑ̃ɻ⁵⁵/

/toŋ⁵⁵ faŋ⁵⁵/

/tuŋ²⁴ fɑŋ²⁴/

/tuŋ²⁴ fɑŋ⁵¹/

/tʊŋ⁵⁵ fɔːŋ⁵⁵/

/tuŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ foŋ²⁴/

/tʊŋ⁴⁴ fɔŋ⁴⁴/

/tɔŋ³³ hɔŋ³³/

/tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/taŋ⁴⁴⁻²² hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/taŋ³³ hŋ̍³³/

/taŋ³³⁻²³ huaŋ³³/

(ACG) short for 東方Project／东方Project (“Touhou Project, a bullet hell video game series”)


西方

/ɕi⁵⁵ fɑŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕi⁵⁵ faŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕi²⁴ fɑŋ²⁴/

/sɐi̯⁵⁵ fɔːŋ⁵⁵/

/si²⁴⁻¹¹ foŋ²⁴/

/se⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/se³³ hɔŋ³³/

/se⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/se³³ hŋ̍³³/

/se⁴⁴⁻²² hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/ɕi⁵⁵ fɑŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕi⁵⁵ faŋ⁵⁵/

/ɕi²⁴ fɑŋ²⁴/

/sɐi̯⁵⁵ fɔːŋ⁵⁵/

/si²⁴⁻¹¹ foŋ²⁴/

/se⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/se³³ hɔŋ³³/

/se⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/se³³ hŋ̍³³/

/se⁴⁴⁻²² hŋ̍⁴⁴/

(Buddhism) Alternative name for 西天 (xītiān, “Western Paradise”).


南方

Sino-Xenic (南方):
* → Japanese: 南方(なんぽう) (nanpō)
* → Korean: 남방(南方) (nambang)
* → Vietnamese: nam phương (南方)

/nän³⁵ fɑŋ⁵⁵/

/næ̃²⁴ fɑŋ⁵¹/

/naːm²¹ fɔːŋ⁵⁵/

/ⁿdam²² fɔŋ³³/

/naŋ¹³⁻¹¹ ⁽ʰ⁻⁾ŋɒŋ⁵³³/

/naŋ²⁴⁻²¹ ⁽ʰ⁻⁾ŋɒŋ⁵⁴⁴/

/lam²⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/lam²⁴⁻¹¹ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/lam²⁴⁻²² hɔŋ³³/

/lam¹³⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/lam²³⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/lam²⁴⁻²² hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/lam¹³⁻²² hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/lam²⁴⁻²² hŋ̍³³/

/lam⁵⁵⁻¹¹ hŋ³³/

/nän³⁵ fɑŋ⁵⁵/

/næ̃²⁴ fɑŋ⁵¹/

/naːm²¹ fɔːŋ⁵⁵/

/ⁿdam²² fɔŋ³³/

/naŋ¹³⁻¹¹ ⁽ʰ⁻⁾ŋɒŋ⁵³³/

/naŋ²⁴⁻²¹ ⁽ʰ⁻⁾ŋɒŋ⁵⁴⁴/

/lam²⁴⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/lam²⁴⁻¹¹ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/lam²⁴⁻²² hɔŋ³³/

/lam¹³⁻²² hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/lam²³⁻³³ hɔŋ⁴⁴/

/lam²⁴⁻²² hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/lam¹³⁻²² hŋ̍⁴⁴/

/lam²⁴⁻²² hŋ̍³³/

/lam⁵⁵⁻¹¹ hŋ³³/