In the North vs to the North

Question

Dear teachers,Couldyou please help me understand the difference between "in the North" and " to the North"Thai Nguyen city is in the North of the capital HanoiThai Nguyen city is to the North of the capital HanoiThai Nguyen city is 80km North of the capital HanoiThanks in advance

Terrbebe · Accepted Answer

Great question. 1) "Thai Nguyen city is in the North of the capital, Hanoi." This statement simply tells you where the city is located.
2) "Thai Nguyen city is to the North of the capital, Hanoi." Also indicates location, i.e. Thai Nguyen is further North
than Hanoi. So for example, if you are in Hanoi, and ask someone directions to Thai Nguyen, they can respond,
"it is to the North," or "it is North."
3) "Thai Nguyen city is 80 km North of the capital, Hanoi." This statement is simply more specific, with the
speaker giving the listener the actual distance.

Avangi · Answer

Picture a large circle representing Hanoi. "*** neighborhood is in the north of Hanoi." If your circle were the face of a clock, *** neighborhood would be located within the circle at twelve o'clock.

Within the city limits of Los Angeles, we have jurisdictions called cities. For example, Hollywood is a city within a city.

Thai Nguyen City is, I presume, completely outside the borders of Hanoi, and in a northerly direction from it. Its location lies to the north of Hanoi.

In huge urban areas it's not unusual for cities to touch each other for hundreds of miles.

If you say that N is 80km north of H, you probably mean it's 80km from the center of downtown H to the center of downtown N. I don't know if their borders actually touch. Someone else may take it as meaning that it's 80km from the north border of H to the south border of N.

In the North vs to the North

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