南

• Reading: みなみ
• Romaji: minami
• Kanji breakdown: 南 (minami/nan) — south
• Pronunciation: /mi.na.mi/

Meaning

South. One of the four cardinal directions, often associated with warmth and used in place names.

A noun for the cardinal direction south. Used in place names such as 南アメリカ (South America) and 南口 (south exit). Can be read as みなみ in native Japanese or なん in Sino-Japanese compounds like 南極 (nankyoku, South Pole).

Examples

1. 沖縄は日本の南にあります。 Okinawa is in the south of Japan.
2. 南口を出て左に曲がってください。 Please go out the south exit and turn left.
3. 今日は南から暖かい風が来ています。 A warm wind is coming from the south today.

Usage Guide

Context: directions, place names, geography

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 南 is believed to have originally depicted a type of musical instrument, but was borrowed phonetically in Chinese to represent the southern direction.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal