南北(なんぼく)

なんぼく
noun
north and south
1. north and south, from north to south
The two directions of north and south, or the extent/distance in that direction.
日本(にほん)は南北(なんぼく)に長(なが)い国(くに)だ。
Japan is a country that stretches long from north to south.
南北(なんぼく)問題(もんだい)は深刻(しんこく)な課題(かだい)だ。
The North-South problem is a serious issue.
Global economic disparity
この通(とお)りは南北(なんぼく)に走(はし)っている。
This street runs north-south.
この島(しま)は南北(なんぼく)約(やく)50キロ、東西(とうざい)約(やく)20キロの大(おお)きさだ。
This island is about 50 km from north to south and about 20 km from east to west.
南北(なんぼく)に長(なが)い日本(にほん)では、北(きた)と南(みなみ)で気候(きこう)も文化(ぶんか)も大(おお)きく違(ちが)う。
In Japan, which stretches long from north to south, the climate and culture differ greatly between the north and south.

USAGE: 南北(なんぼく) describes the north-south axis or orientation. Note the reading order - it's なんぼく (south-north) even though English says 'north-south.'

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 南北(なんぼく)に長(なが)い (long from north to south)
  • 南北(なんぼく)約(やく)X{キロ} (approximately X km north to south)
  • 南北(なんぼく)に走(はし)る (to run north-south)

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

  • 南北(なんぼく)問題(もんだい) (North-South problem - economic disparity)
  • 南北(なんぼく)朝鮮(ちょうせん) (North and South Korea)
  • 南北(なんぼく)戦争(せんそう) (American Civil War)

CONTRAST:

  • 南北(なんぼく) - north-south
  • 東西(とうざい) - east-west

Related Words

Related: 東西(とうざい) (east and west)
core
Added 2026.1.14 9:58 · Revised 2026.3.4 11:32
04000/04287_nanboku