南 nán south

源How it came to be

A bell hung from a frame, the body swelling below and the clapper inside it. It was a bronze instrument played at ceremonies, and it was borrowed for the direction those ceremonies faced.

用How it is used

• 'South' - one of the four directions: 南方 (nánfāng) the south, 东南 (dōngnán) southeast, 南部 (nánbù) southern part.
• In Chinese compass compounds the order differs from English: 东南 = 'east-south' for southeast, 西南 (xīnán) southwest.
• 指南 (zhǐnán) = a guide/directory (lit. 'point south', from the compass); 指南针 (zhǐnánzhēn) a compass.
• 南瓜 (nánguā) pumpkin literally 'southern melon'.

字Characters built with 南

• 献 to offer

词Words with 南

• 东南dōngnánsoutheastHSK 3
• 南方nánfāngsouthHSK 3
• 西南xīnánsouthwestHSK 3
• 南部nánbùsouthern partHSK 4
• 南极洲NánjízhōuAntarcticaHSK 6
• 南美洲NánměizhōuSouth AmericaHSK 6
• 指南zhǐnánto guideHSK 7
• 南瓜nánguāpumpkinHSK 8
• 南辕北辙nányuán-běizhéto act in a way that defeats one's purposeHSK 8

句Example sentences

• 南边有饭店。 Nánbiān yǒu fàndiàn.There is a hotel at the south end.