bak1 fong1北方
Jyutpingbak1 fong1
Yalebāk fōng
Definition
The north; northern direction or northern part of a country or region.
- the north; northern direction
- northern region of a country, especially northern China
neutralplaces
How it's used
Refers specifically to the northern regions of China, often carrying a cultural connotation regarding food preferences like noodles or dumplings. When discussing travel or business, people frequently use the verb phrase 北上 instead of just referring to the region as a noun. It is rarely used to describe the cardinal direction north, for which 北面 or 北邊 are preferred.
Examples
He is a northerner, his taste is quite heavy.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe the northern direction of a street or a building, as it sounds like you are referring to the geographic region of Northern China rather than a simple compass direction.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
