北
きた · kita · JLPT N5 · noun
north
🧭 北 = two people sitting back to back; the back faces north
Etymology: 北 originally showed two people back to back and meant back. Houses faced south toward the sun, so the back side was north. Sound hook: kita sounds like a kite, pulled by the cold north wind.
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).