北方
běifāng · HSK 2
northern part of country
🧭⬆️ 北 (north) + 方 (direction/region) = north direction
北方 decomposes as 北 'north' plus 方 'direction' or 'region', literally 'the north side'. 方 also appears in 东方 (east), 西方 (west), 南方 (south) — the four cardinal regions.
北 — two people 人 back-to-back
北 originally pictured two people standing back-to-back, meaning 'back' or 'to turn one's back on.' Because people in ancient China faced south, their backs pointed north, so 北 came to mean 'north.' The original 'back' sense was later written with 背 (adding 月/flesh).
方 — pictograph of a plow or two boats joined side by side
方 originated as a pictograph, traditionally interpreted as a plow handle or two boats lashed together. From the idea of paired boats it extended to mean 'side by side,' then 'square,' 'direction,' and 'region.' It was later borrowed for the abstract sense of 'method' or 'way.'