The sole absolute frame of reference leads to sole encoding order of cardinal direction compounds formed by pairing of east, west, north, and south. Whereas encoding order of diagonal direction compounds based on internal frame of reference vary with the variance of competitiveness for the preceding position in encoding order between differentiation of structural patterns in horizontal and vertical direction. The winner assumes the preceding position in case that it’s differentiation or stability is distinct enough to eclipse those of its’ rival. The tug-of-war is affected by cognitive style in a language-specific way, namely English figure-preference cognitive style based on egocentric philosophy and Chinese ground-preference cognitive style based on object-oriented philosophy leading to the normally reverse encoding order with a minor portion of ‘exceptionally’ same encoding order between Chinese diagonal direction their and English counterparts.