南 (nán) - south & southern

南Tone 2

nán ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 十

娜楠

南 · nán

south;

southern;

a direction;

used in names of places and peoples;

also appears in Buddhist terms.

southsoutherna direction

Usage highlights

south directionsouthern partSoutheast AsiaSouth AmericaNanyang regionsouth gate

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 北— north
  • 北方— northern direction/region

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The city is located in southern China (华南).
  • I traveled to Southeast Asia (东南亚).
  • This is a South American country (南美 country).
  • The Nanyang region has a rich history (南洋).

Collocations

  • south direction(南方)
  • southern part(南部)
  • Southeast Asia(东南亚)
  • South America(南美)
  • Nanyang region(南洋)
  • south gate(南门)

Idioms

  • Go north and south(走南闯北)
  • The southern orange and northern trifoliate orange(南橘北枳)
  • The southern boat and northern horse(南船北马)
  • The southern mountain and the northern sea(南山北海)
  • The south and north poles(南辕北辙)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the four cardinal directions in traditional Chinese cosmology, associated with the element fire, summer, and the color red.
  • Historically used to refer to regions south of the Yangtze River, often contrasted with northern China.
  • Appears in Buddhist terminology as a translation for dakshina (south), representing generosity and giving.

FAQ