西北
xīběi · HSK 2
northwest
🧭 西北 = 西 (west) + 北 (north) = northwest
Chinese stacks compass directions as two-character compounds. The order is fixed: east/west comes before north/south, so it's 西北 (west-north), not north-west. Same pattern gives 东南 (east-south), 东北, 西南.
西 — top 覀 (cover) + bottom 儿 (legs); originally a bird in nest
Originally a pictograph of a bird settling into its nest at dusk. Because birds return to roost when the sun sets in the west, the character was borrowed to mean 'west.' The original 'nest' meaning was later written with 棲/栖.
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).