běi = b + ei3
north / (classical) to be defeated
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How to pronounce 北

MandarinBanana teaches pronunciation with the Marilyn Method: every Pinyin syllable is one initial plus one final, the initial becomes a person, an animal or a deity, and the final becomes a place in your memory palace — with the tone deciding which part of that place the scene happens in. Remember the little story below for each half and the whole syllable comes back with them.

= b initial

B is for Beelzebub.

By Matthias • updated 3 months ago
+ ei3 final

In the Eiffel Tower’s living room.

By Matthias • updated 4 months ago

北 character breakdown

Chinese characters are built out of smaller characters. Each component carries a mnemonic symbol - one concrete object that stands in for it - and a mnemonic story hands those objects to the person and the place that stand for the pronunciation. Learn a component once and every character that reuses it gets easier.

Component Translations
"piece of wood" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 90), mirror image of 片[pian4]
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= bi + Ø3
dagger / ladle / ancient type of spoon
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pán = p + an2
classifier for strips of land or bamboo, shops, factories etc / slit bamboo or chopped wood (dialect)
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Characters with 北 as component

bèi = b + ei4
the back of a body or object / to turn one's back / to hide something from / to learn by heart / to recite from memory / unlucky (slang) / hard of hearing
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bēi = b + ei1
variant of 背[bei1]
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bēi = b + ei1
to be burdened / to carry on the back or shoulder
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Words with 北

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north / the northern part a country / China north of the Yellow River
northern part
north / north side / northern part / to the north of

Sentences with 北

北 currently does not appear in any sentence.

Want to remember 北 for good?

Make it your learning target and MandarinBanana works out the shortest route to it: the two sounds its syllable is built from, then the components of the character itself, one short step at a time. No account needed to start.

běi

north / (classical) to be defeated

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