Thepoints of the compass are a set of horizontal,radially arrayed compass directions (orazimuths) used innavigation andcartography. Acompass rose is primarily composed of fourcardinal directions—north,east,south, andwest—each separated by 90degrees, and secondarily divided by four ordinal (intercardinal) directions—northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest—each located halfway between two cardinal directions. Some disciplines such asmeteorology and navigation further divide the compass with additional azimuths. Within European tradition, a fully defined compass has 32 "points" (and any finer subdivisions are described in fractions of points).[1]
Compass points or compass directions are valuable in that they allow a user to refer to a specific azimuth in acolloquial fashion, without having to compute or remember degrees.[2]
The names of the compass point directions follow these rules:
Cardinal direction | Intercardinal direction | Secondary intercardinal direction | Tertiary intercardinal direction | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0° | North | |||
| 11¼° | NbE | |||
| 22½° | NNE | |||
| 33¾° | NEbN | |||
| 45° | NE | |||
| 56¼° | NEbE | |||
| 67½° | ENE | |||
| 78¾° | EbN | |||
| 90° | East | |||
| 101¼° | EbS | |||
| 112½° | ESE | |||
| 123¾° | SEbE | |||
| 135° | SE | |||
| 146¼° | SEbS | |||
| 157½° | SSE | |||
| 168¾° | SbE | |||
| 180° | South | |||
| 191¼° | SbW | |||
| 202½° | SSW | |||
| 213¾° | SWbS | |||
| 225° | SW | |||
| 236¼° | SWbW | |||
| 247½° | WSW | |||
| 258¾° | WbS | |||
| 270° | West | |||
| 281¼° | WbN | |||
| 292½° | WNW | |||
| 303¾° | NWbW | |||
| 315° | NW | |||
| 326¼° | NWbN | |||
| 337½° | NNW | |||
| 348¾° | NbW |
In summary, the 32-wind compass rose comes from the eight principal winds, eight half-winds, and sixteen quarter-winds combined, with each compass point at an11+1⁄4° angle from the next.
By the middle of the 18th century, the 32-point system had been further extended by using half- and quarter-points to give a total of 128 directions.[6]These fractional points are named by appending, for example,1/4east,1/2east, or3/4east to the name of one of the 32 points. Each of the 96 fractional points can be named in two ways, depending on which of the two adjoining whole points is used, for example, N3/4E is equivalent to NbE1/4N. Either form is easily understood, but alternative conventions as to correct usage developed in different countries and organisations. "It is the custom in the United States Navy to boxfrom north and southtoward east and west, with the exception that divisions adjacent to a cardinal or inter-cardinal point are always referred to that point."[7] The Royal Navy used the additional "rule that quarter points were never read from a point beginning and ending with the same letter."[8]
Compass roses very rarely named the fractional points and only showed small, unlabelled markers as a guide for helmsmen.
Prior to the modernthree-figure method of describing directions (using the 360° of a circle), the 32-point compass was used for directions on most ships, especially among European crews. The smallest unit of measure recognized was 'one point', 1/32 of a circle, or11+1⁄4°.[9] In the mariner's exercise of "boxing the compass", all thirty-two points of thecompass are named inclockwise order.[10] This exercise became more significant as navigation improved and the half- and quarter-point system increased the number of directions to include in the 'boxing'. Points remained the standard unit until switching to the three-figure degree method. These points were also used for relative measurement, so that an obstacle might be noted as 'two points off the starboard bow', meaning two points clockwise of straight ahead,22+1⁄2°[9] This relative measurement may still be used in shorthand on modern ships, especially for handoffs between outgoing and incoming helmsmen, as the loss of granularity is less significant than the brevity and simplicity of the summary.
The table below shows how each of the 128 directions are named. The first two columns give the number of points and degrees clockwise from north. The third gives the equivalent bearing to the nearest degree from north or south towards east or west. The "CW" column gives the fractional-point bearings increasing in theclockwise direction and "CCW"counterclockwise. The final three columns show three common naming conventions: No "by" avoids the use of "by" with fractional points. Colour coding shows whether each of the three naming systems matches the "CW" or "CCW" column.
| Points | Degrees | Bearing | CW | CCW | No "by" |  United States Navy (USN) |  Royal Navy (RN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0°0′0″ | N | N | ||||
| 1/4 | 2° 48′ 45″ | N3° E | N1/4E | NbE3/4N | N1/4E | ||
| 1/2 | 5° 37′ 30″ | N6° E | N1/2E | NbE1/2N | N1/2E | ||
| 3/4 | 8° 26′ 15″ | N8° E | N3/4E | NbE1/4N | N3/4E | ||
| 1 | 11° 15′0″ | N 11° E | NbE | ||||
| 1+1/4 | 14°3′ 45″ | N 14° E | NbE1/4E | NNE3/4N | NbE1/4E | ||
| 1+1/2 | 16° 52′ 30″ | N 17° E | NbE1/2E | NNE1/2N | NbE1/2E | ||
| 1+3/4 | 19° 41′ 15″ | N 20° E | NbE3/4E | NNE1/4N | NbE3/4E | ||
| 2 | 22° 30′0″ | N 23° E | NNE | ||||
| 2+1/4 | 25° 18′ 45″ | N 25° E | NNE1/4E | NEbN3/4N | NNE1/4E | ||
| 2+1/2 | 28°7′ 30″ | N 28° E | NNE1/2E | NEbN1/2N | NNE1/2E | ||
| 2+3/4 | 30° 56′ 15″ | N 31° E | NNE3/4E | NEbN1/4N | NNE3/4E | ||
| 3 | 33° 45′0″ | N 34° E | NEbN | ||||
| 3+1/4 | 36° 33′ 45″ | N 37° E | NEbN1/4E | NE3/4N | |||
| 3+1/2 | 39° 22′ 30″ | N 39° E | NEbN1/2E | NE1/2N | |||
| 3+3/4 | 42° 11′ 15″ | N 42° E | NEbN3/4E | NE1/4N | |||
| 4 | 45°0′0″ | N 45° E | NE | ||||
| 4+1/4 | 47° 48′ 45″ | N 48° E | NE1/4E | NEbE3/4N | NE1/4E | ||
| 4+1/2 | 50° 37′ 30″ | N 51° E | NE1/2E | NEbE1/2N | NE1/2E | ||
| 4+3/4 | 53° 26′ 15″ | N 53° E | NE3/4E | NEbE1/4N | NE3/4E | ||
| 5 | 56° 15′0″ | N 56° E | NEbE | ||||
| 5+1/4 | 59°3′ 45″ | N 59° E | NEbE1/4E | ENE3/4N | NEbE1/4E | ||
| 5+1/2 | 61° 52′ 30″ | N 62° E | NEbE1/2E | ENE1/2N | NEbE1/2E | ||
| 5+3/4 | 64° 41′ 15″ | N 65° E | NEbE3/4E | ENE1/4N | NEbE3/4E | ||
| 6 | 67° 30′0″ | N 68° E | ENE | ||||
| 6+1/4 | 70° 18′ 45″ | N 70° E | ENE1/4E | EbN3/4N | ENE1/4E | EbN3/4N | |
| 6+1/2 | 73°7′ 30″ | N 73° E | ENE1/2E | EbN1/2N | ENE1/2E | EbN1/2N | |
| 6+3/4 | 75° 56′ 15″ | N 76° E | ENE3/4E | EbN1/4N | ENE3/4E | EbN1/4N | |
| 7 | 78° 45′0″ | N 79° E | EbN | ||||
| 7+1/4 | 81° 33′ 45″ | N 82° E | EbN1/4E | E3/4N | |||
| 7+1/2 | 84° 22′ 30″ | N 84° E | EbN1/2E | E1/2N | |||
| 7+3/4 | 87° 11′ 15″ | N 87° E | EbN3/4E | E1/4N | |||
| 8 | 90°0′0″ | E | E | ||||
| 8+1/4 | 92° 48′ 45″ | S 87° E | E1/4S | EbS3/4E | E1/4S | ||
| 8+1/2 | 95° 37′ 30″ | S 84° E | E1/2S | EbS1/2E | E1/2S | ||
| 8+3/4 | 98° 26′ 15″ | S 82° E | E3/4S | EbS1/4E | E3/4S | ||
| 9 | 101° 15′0″ | S 79° E | EbS | ||||
| 9+1/4 | 104°3′ 45″ | S 76° E | EbS1/4S | ESE3/4E | EbS1/4S | ||
| 9+1/2 | 106° 52′ 30″ | S 73° E | EbS1/2S | ESE1/2E | EbS1/2S | ||
| 9+3/4 | 109° 41′ 15″ | S 70° E | EbS3/4S | ESE1/4E | EbS3/4S | ||
| 10 | 112° 30′0″ | S 68° E | ESE | ||||
| 10+1/4 | 115° 18′ 45″ | S 65° E | ESE1/4S | SEbE3/4E | ESE1/4S | SEbE3/4E | |
| 10+1/2 | 118°7′ 30″ | S 62° E | ESE1/2S | SEbE1/2E | ESE1/2S | SEbE1/2E | |
| 10+3/4 | 120° 56′ 15″ | S 59° E | ESE3/4S | SEbE1/4E | ESE3/4S | SEbE1/4E | |
| 11 | 123° 45′0″ | S 56° E | SEbE | ||||
| 11+1/4 | 126° 33′ 45″ | S 53° E | SEbE1/4S | SE3/4E | |||
| 11+1/2 | 129° 22′ 30″ | S 51° E | SEbE1/2S | SE1/2E | |||
| 11+3/4 | 132° 11′ 15″ | S 48° E | SEbE3/4S | SE1/4E | |||
| 12 | 135°0′0″ | S 45° E | SE | ||||
| 12+1/4 | 137° 48′ 45″ | S 42° E | SE1/4S | SEbS3/4E | SE1/4S | ||
| 12+1/2 | 140° 37′ 30″ | S 39° E | SE1/2S | SEbS1/2E | SE1/2S | ||
| 12+3/4 | 143° 26′ 15″ | S 37° E | SE3/4S | SEbS1/4E | SE3/4S | ||
| 13 | 146° 15′0″ | S 34° E | SEbS | ||||
| 13+1/4 | 149°3′ 45″ | S 31° E | SEbS1/4S | SSE3/4E | |||
| 13+1/2 | 151° 52′ 30″ | S 28° E | SEbS1/2S | SSE1/2E | |||
| 13+3/4 | 154° 41′ 15″ | S 25° E | SEbS3/4S | SSE1/4E | |||
| 14 | 157° 30′0″ | S 23° E | SSE | ||||
| 14+1/4 | 160° 18′ 45″ | S 20° E | SSE1/4S | SbE3/4E | SSE1/4S | SbE3/4E | |
| 14+1/2 | 163°7′ 30″ | S 17° E | SSE1/2S | SbE1/2E | SSE1/2S | SbE1/2E | |
| 14+3/4 | 165° 56′ 15″ | S 14° E | SSE3/4S | SbE1/4E | SSE3/4S | SbE1/4E | |
| 15 | 168° 45′0″ | S 11° E | SbE | ||||
| 15+1/4 | 171° 33′ 45″ | S8° E | SbE1/4S | S3/4E | |||
| 15+1/2 | 174° 22′ 30″ | S6° E | SbE1/2S | S1/2E | |||
| 15+3/4 | 177° 11′ 15″ | S3° E | SbE3/4S | S1/4E | |||
| 16 | 180°0′0″ | S | S | ||||
| 16+1/4 | 182° 48′ 45″ | S3° W | S1/4W | SbW3/4S | S1/4W | ||
| 16+1/2 | 185° 37′ 30″ | S6° W | S1/2W | SbW1/2S | S1/2W | ||
| 16+3/4 | 188° 26′ 15″ | S8° W | S3/4W | SbW1/4S | S3/4W | ||
| 17 | 191° 15′0″ | S 11° W | SbW | ||||
| 17+1/4 | 194°3′ 45″ | S 14° W | SbW1/4W | SSW3/4S | SbW1/4W | ||
| 17+1/2 | 196° 52′ 30″ | S 17° W | SbW1/2W | SSW1/2S | SbW1/2W | ||
| 17+3/4 | 199° 41′ 15″ | S 20° W | SbW3/4W | SSW1/4S | SbW3/4W | ||
| 18 | 202° 30′0″ | S 23° W | SSW | ||||
| 18+1/4 | 205° 18′ 45″ | S 25° W | SSW1/4W | SWbS3/4S | SSW1/4W | ||
| 18+1/2 | 208°7′ 30″ | S 28° W | SSW1/2W | SWbS1/2S | SSW1/2W | ||
| 18+3/4 | 210° 56′ 15″ | S 31° W | SSW3/4W | SWbS1/4S | SSW3/4W | ||
| 19 | 213° 45′0″ | S 34° W | SWbS | ||||
| 19+1/4 | 216° 33′ 45″ | S 37° W | SWbS1/4W | SW3/4S | |||
| 19+1/2 | 219° 22′ 30″ | S 39° W | SWbS1/2W | SW1/2S | |||
| 19+3/4 | 222° 11′ 15″ | S 42° W | SWbS3/4W | SW1/4S | |||
| 20 | 225°0′0″ | S 45° W | SW | ||||
| 20+1/4 | 227° 48′ 45″ | S 48° W | SW1/4W | SWbW3/4S | SW1/4W | ||
| 20+1/2 | 230° 37′ 30″ | S 51° W | SW1/2W | SWbW1/2S | SW1/2W | ||
| 20+3/4 | 233° 26′ 15″ | S 53° W | SW3/4W | SWbW1/4S | SW3/4W | ||
| 21 | 236° 15′0″ | S 56° W | SWbW | ||||
| 21+1/4 | 239°3′ 45″ | S 59° W | SWbW1/4W | WSW3/4S | SWbW1/4W | ||
| 21+1/2 | 241° 52′ 30″ | S 62° W | SWbW1/2W | WSW1/2S | SWbW1/2W | ||
| 21+3/4 | 244° 41′ 15″ | S 65° W | SWbW3/4W | WSW1/4S | SWbW3/4W | ||
| 22 | 247° 30′0″ | S 68° W | WSW | ||||
| 22+1/4 | 250° 18′ 45″ | S 70° W | WSW1/4W | WbS3/4S | WSW1/4W | WbS3/4S | |
| 22+1/2 | 253°7′ 30″ | S 73° W | WSW1/2W | WbS1/2S | WSW1/2W | WbS1/2S | |
| 22+3/4 | 255° 56′ 15″ | S 76° W | WSW3/4W | WbS1/4S | WSW3/4W | WbS1/4S | |
| 23 | 258° 45′0″ | S 79° W | WbS | ||||
| 23+1/4 | 261° 33′ 45″ | S 82° W | WbS1/4W | W3/4S | |||
| 23+1/2 | 264° 22′ 30″ | S 84° W | WbS1/2W | W1/2S | |||
| 23+3/4 | 267° 11′ 15″ | S 87° W | WbS3/4W | W1/4S | |||
| 24 | 270°0′0″ | W | W | ||||
| 24+1/4 | 272° 48′ 45″ | N 87° W | W1/4N | WbN3/4W | W1/4N | ||
| 24+1/2 | 275° 37′ 30″ | N 84° W | W1/2N | WbN1/2W | W1/2N | ||
| 24+3/4 | 278° 26′ 15″ | N 82° W | W3/4N | WbN1/4W | W3/4N | ||
| 25 | 281° 15′0″ | N 79° W | WbN | ||||
| 25+1/4 | 284°3′ 45″ | N 76° W | WbN1/4N | WNW3/4W | WbN1/4N | ||
| 25+1/2 | 286° 52′ 30″ | N 73° W | WbN1/2N | WNW1/2W | WbN1/2N | ||
| 25+3/4 | 289° 41′ 15″ | N 70° W | WbN3/4N | WNW1/4W | WbN3/4N | ||
| 26 | 292° 30′0″ | N 68° W | WNW | ||||
| 26+1/4 | 295° 18′ 45″ | N 65° W | WNW1/4N | NWbW3/4W | WNW1/4N | NWbW3/4W | |
| 26+1/2 | 298°7′ 30″ | N 62° W | WNW1/2N | NWbW1/2W | WNW1/2N | NWbW1/2W | |
| 26+3/4 | 300° 56′ 15″ | N 59° W | WNW3/4N | NWbW1/4W | WNW3/4N | NWbW1/4W | |
| 27 | 303° 45′0″ | N 56° W | NWbW | ||||
| 27+1/4 | 306° 33′ 45″ | N 53° W | NWbW1/4N | NW3/4W | |||
| 27+1/2 | 309° 22′ 30″ | N 51° W | NWbW1/2N | NW1/2W | |||
| 27+3/4 | 312° 11′ 15″ | N 48° W | NWbW3/4N | NW1/4W | |||
| 28 | 315°0′0″ | N 45° W | NW | ||||
| 28+1/4 | 317° 48′ 45″ | N 42° W | NW1/4N | NWbN3/4W | NW1/4N | ||
| 28+1/2 | 320° 37′ 30″ | N 39° W | NW1/2N | NWbN1/2W | NW1/2N | ||
| 28+3/4 | 323° 26′ 15″ | N 37° W | NW3/4N | NWbN1/4W | NW3/4N | ||
| 29 | 326° 15′0″ | N 34° W | NWbN | ||||
| 29+1/4 | 329°3′ 45″ | N 31° W | NWbN1/4N | NNW3/4W | |||
| 29+1/2 | 331° 52′ 30″ | N 28° W | NWbN1/2N | NNW1/2W | |||
| 29+3/4 | 334° 41′ 15″ | N 25° W | NWbN3/4N | NNW1/4W | |||
| 30 | 337° 30′0″ | N 23° W | NNW | ||||
| 30+1/4 | 340° 18′ 45″ | N 20° W | NNW1/4N | NbW3/4W | NNW1/4N | NbW3/4W | |
| 30+1/2 | 343°7′ 30″ | N 17° W | NNW1/2N | NbW1/2W | NNW1/2N | NbW1/2W | |
| 30+3/4 | 345° 56′ 15″ | N 14° W | NNW3/4N | NbW1/4W | NNW3/4N | NbW1/4W | |
| 31 | 348° 45′0″ | N 11° W | NbW | ||||
| 31+1/4 | 351° 33′ 45″ | N8° W | NbW1/4N | N3/4W | |||
| 31+1/2 | 354° 22′ 30″ | N6° W | NbW1/2N | N1/2W | |||
| 31+3/4 | 357° 11′ 15″ | N3° W | NbW3/4N | N1/4W | |||
| 32 | 360°0′0″ | N | N | ||||
The traditional compass rose of eight winds (and its 16-wind and 32-wind derivatives) was invented by seafarers in theMediterranean Sea during theMiddle Ages (with no obvious connection to the twelveclassical compass winds of the ancient Greeks and Romans). The traditional mariner's wind names were expressed inItalian, or more precisely, the ItalianateMediterranean lingua franca common among sailors in the 13th and 14th centuries, which was principally composed of Genoese (Ligurian), mixed withVenetian,Sicilian,Provençal,Catalan,Greek, andArabic terms from around the Mediterranean basin.
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This Italianatepatois was used to designate the names of the principal winds on the compass rose found in mariners' compasses andportolan charts of the 14th and 15th centuries. The traditional names of the eight principal winds are:
Local spelling variations are far more numerous than listed, e.g. Tramutana, Gregale, Grecho, Sirocco, Xaloc, Lebeg, Libezo, Leveche, Mezzodi, Migjorn, Magistro, Mestre, etc. Traditional compass roses will typically have the initials T, G, L, S, O, L, P, and M on the main points. Portolan charts also colour-coded the compass winds: black for the eight principal winds, green for the eight half-winds, and red for the sixteen quarter-winds.
Each half-wind name is simply a combination of the two principal winds that it bisects, with the shortest name usually placed first, for example: NNE is "Greco-Tramontana"; ENE is "Greco-Levante"; SSE is "Ostro-Scirocco", etc. The quarter winds are expressed with an Italian phrase, "Quarto diX versoY" (pronounced[ˈkwartodiXˈvɛrsoY][11][12][13] one quarter from X towards Y), or "Xal Y" (X to Y) or "Xper Y" (X by Y). There are no irregularities to trip over; the closest principal wind always comes first, the more distant one second, for example: north-by-east is "Quarto di Tramontana verso Greco"; and northeast-by-north is "Quarto di Greco verso Tramontana".
The table below shows how the 32 compass points are named. Each point has an angular range of11+1⁄4 degrees where theazimuthmidpoint is the horizontal angular direction (clockwise from north) of the given compass bearing;minimum is the lower (counterclockwise) angular limit of the compass point; andmaximum is the upper (clockwise) angular limit of the compass point.
| No. | Compass point | Abbreviation | Traditional wind point | Azimuth | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Midpoint | Maximum | ||||
| 0 | North | N | Tramontana | 354+3/8° | 0° | 5+5/8° |
| 1 | North by east | NbE | Quarto di Tramontana verso Greco | 5+5/8° | 11+1/4° | 16+7/8° |
| 2 | North-northeast | NNE | Greco-Tramontana | 16+7/8° | 22+1/2° | 28+1/8° |
| 3 | Northeast by north | NEbN | Quarto di Greco verso Tramontana | 28+1/8° | 33+3/4° | 39+3/8° |
| 4 | Northeast | NE | Greco | 39+3/8° | 45° | 50+5/8° |
| 5 | Northeast by east | NEbE | Quarto di Greco verso Levante | 50+5/8° | 56+1/4° | 61+7/8° |
| 6 | East-northeast | ENE | Greco-Levante | 61+7/8° | 67+1/2° | 73+1/8° |
| 7 | East by north | EbN | Quarto di Levante verso Greco | 73+1/8° | 78+3/4° | 84+3/8° |
| 8 | East | E | Levante | 84+3/8° | 90° | 95+5/8° |
| 9 | East by south | EbS | Quarto di Levante verso Scirocco | 95+5/8° | 101+1/4° | 106+7/8° |
| 10 | East-southeast | ESE | Levante-Scirocco | 106+7/8° | 112+1/2° | 118+1/8° |
| 11 | Southeast by east | SEbE | Quarto di Scirocco verso Levante | 118+1/8° | 123+3/4° | 129+3/8° |
| 12 | Southeast | SE | Scirocco | 129+3/8° | 135° | 140+5/8° |
| 13 | Southeast by south | SEbS | Quarto di Scirocco verso Ostro | 140+5/8° | 146+1/4° | 151+7/8° |
| 14 | South-southeast | SSE | Ostro-Scirocco | 151+7/8° | 157+1/2° | 163+1/8° |
| 15 | South by east | SbE | Quarto di Ostro verso Scirocco | 163+1/8° | 168+3/4° | 174+3/8° |
| 16 | South | S | Ostro | 174+3/8° | 180° | 185+5/8° |
| 17 | South by west | SbW | Quarto di Ostro verso Libeccio | 185+5/8° | 191+1/4° | 196+7/8° |
| 18 | South-southwest | SSW | Ostro-Libeccio | 196+7/8° | 202+1/2° | 208+1/8° |
| 19 | Southwest by south | SWbS | Quarto di Libeccio verso Ostro | 208+1/8° | 213+3/4° | 219+3/8° |
| 20 | Southwest | SW | Libeccio | 219+3/8° | 225° | 230+5/8° |
| 21 | Southwest by west | SWbW | Quarto di Libeccio verso Ponente | 230+5/8° | 236+1/4° | 241+7/8° |
| 22 | West-southwest | WSW | Ponente-Libeccio | 241+7/8° | 247+1/2° | 253+1/8° |
| 23 | West by south | WbS | Quarto di Ponente verso Libeccio | 253+1/8° | 258+3/4° | 264+3/8° |
| 24 | West | W | Ponente | 264+3/8° | 270° | 275+5/8° |
| 25 | West by north | WbN | Quarto di Ponente verso Maestro | 275+5/8° | 281+1/4° | 286+7/8° |
| 26 | West-northwest | WNW | Maestro-Ponente | 286+7/8° | 292+1/2° | 298+1/8° |
| 27 | Northwest by west | NWbW | Quarto di Maestro verso Ponente | 298+1/8° | 303+3/4° | 309+3/8° |
| 28 | Northwest | NW | Maestro | 309+3/8° | 315° | 320+5/8° |
| 29 | Northwest by north | NWbN | Quarto di Maestro verso Tramontana | 320+5/8° | 326+1/4° | 331+7/8° |
| 30 | North-northwest | NNW | Maestro-Tramontana | 331+7/8° | 337+1/2° | 343+1/8° |
| 31 | North by west | NbW | Quarto di Tramontana verso Maestro | 343+1/8° | 348+3/4° | 354+3/8° |
| 32 | North | N | Tramontana | 354+3/8° | 360° | 5+5/8° |
Navigation texts dating from theYuan,Ming, andQing dynasties in China use a 24-pointed compass with named directions. These are based on the twelveEarthly Branches, which also form the basis of the Chinese zodiac. When a single direction is specified, it may be prefaced by the character單 (meaning single) or丹.
Headings mid-way in-between are compounds as in English. For instance,癸子 refers to the direction halfway between point子 and point癸, or7+1⁄2°. This technique is referred to as a double-needle (雙針) compass.
| Point | Ordinal Name | Angle |
|---|---|---|
| 子zǐ | north | 0° or 360° |
| 癸guǐ | 15° | |
| 丑chǒu | 30° | |
| 艮gěn | northeast | 45° |
| 寅yín | 60° | |
| 甲jiǎ | 75° | |
| 卯mǎo | east | 90° |
| 乙yǐ | 105° | |
| 辰chén | 120° | |
| 巽xùn | southeast | 135° |
| 巳sì | 150° | |
| 丙bǐng | 165° | |
| 午wǔ | south | 180° |
| 丁dīng | 195° | |
| 未wèi | 210° | |
| 坤kūn | southwest | 225° |
| 申shēn | 240° | |
| 庚gēng | 255° | |
| 酉yǒu | west | 270° |
| 辛xīn | 285° | |
| 戌xū | 300° | |
| 乾qián | northwest | 315° |
| 亥hài | 330° | |
| 壬rén | 345° |
A deviation table having been formed by any of the processes now so generally understood, either on the thirty-two points of the compass, the sixteen intermediate, or the eight principal points
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)In particular they should learn that wind direction is always stated as the direction from which, and not to which, the wind is blowing. Once children have grasped these eight points they can learn the full sixteen points of the compass.
English translation: fourth, quarter
English translation: of, from...
English translation: towards, toward, close to, near to
