north

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 北 means north; the standalone word is read きた, and the on-reading is ほく.
• Basic usage: It identifies a direction of travel or the direction a wind comes from; 北風 is read きたかぜ.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Toward and from
  • 北へ indicates movement toward the north, while 北から indicates coming from the north. The following particle distinguishes the directional relationship.
• Naming a wind
  • 北風 is a wind blowing from the north. Do not reverse this and interpret it as the direction the wind is heading toward.