Compass Rose 4-Direction Blank — free printable clipart

What the 4 points of a compass rose mean

This is a 4-point compass rose, drawn blank for labelling. Reading clockwise from the top it shows N, E, S, W, with 90° of turn between one point and the next.

Points on this rose

4

Clockwise from north

N · E · S · W

Turn between neighbouring points

90°

Cardinal directions

North, East, South, West

Bearing of each cardinal

N 0° (or 360°) · E 90° · S 180° · W 270°

This version

The blank 4-point rose, for labelling practice

• A compass rose shows which way is which on a map. The four cardinal directions are north, east, south, west — and reading them clockwise from the top of the map gives them in exactly that order, which is what the mnemonic "Never Eat Shredded Wheat" is for.
• Every point on a rose is an equal turn from the next. With 4 points that turn is 360° ÷ 4 = 90°, which is why a 4-point rose can describe a direction to within 90°.
• North on a map is not the same as north in the room. Maps are drawn with north at the top by convention, so a compass rose tells you how the map is oriented, and it is the rose rather than the top of the page that you read a direction from.
• A four-point rose is as much as most primary mapwork needs. Adding the four points between the cardinals gives the 8-point rose (NE, SE, SW, NW), and halving those gaps again gives the 16-point rose used for more precise bearings.