Why do JLPT N5 learners confuse 東 with 北?

Both words occupy adjacent semantic territory, which is exactly why the JLPT uses them as distractors for each other on multiple-choice items. The fastest way to stop confusing them is to study them as a pair, write a one-sentence contrast in your own words, and drill the pair specifically rather than each word in isolation.

Is 東 or 北 more common on JLPT N5?

Both appear in the JLPT N5 curriculum and either may show up on a given exam. Don't try to predict which one the test will choose — learn to distinguish them and you'll be safe regardless. Both belong to the Places & Directions theme of N5 vocabulary.

How do I practice this confusion pair?

Free option: visit /try and pick a confusion drill. Paid option: none — JLPT Mastery is free during launch. Whichever route you take, the engine specifically re-tests pairs you've gotten wrong rather than rotating through general vocabulary review.

JLPT N5 · Beginner · Meaning confusion

東 vs 北

Q: What's the difference between 東 and 北?

東 (ひがし) means "east" and 北 (きた) means "north". Both are cardinal directions. Without a strong mnemonic, learners struggle to map specific Japanese readings like 'higashi' and 'kita' to the correct points on a western compass.

Why JLPT N5 learners mix up 東 (ひがし, “east”) and 北 (きた, “north”).

東

ひがし

east

noun

北

きた

north

noun

Theme: Places & DirectionsJLPT N5

Why these get confused

Both are cardinal directions. Without a strong mnemonic, learners struggle to map specific Japanese readings like 'higashi' and 'kita' to the correct points on a western compass.

How to tell them apart

Anchor on the meaning, not the form. 東 (east) and 北 (north) live in adjacent semantic territory. Memorize the boundary, not just each word.
Read the example sentences below. Seeing each word in its natural context builds a faster lookup than studying the dictionary form alone.

In a sentence

東 (east)

東に山があります。
太陽は東から出ます。

北 (north)

北に行ってください。
北海道は北にあります。

How JLPT tests this pair

On JLPT N5, this pair shows up as a vocabulary meaning question. You see one word and pick its English equivalent from four options — one of which will be the other word in this pair, chosen as a distractor precisely because of the overlap.

Sample item

「東」の意味は？