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东西 (dōng xi) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 1

东西 (dōng xi) is a Chinese word: thing. This page shows its pinyin, translation, example sentences, character breakdown, decomposition, and HSK level.

Meaning of 东西

名 míng noun

thing

我买了一些东西。

wǒ mǎi le yī xiē dōng xi

I bought some things.

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Word breakdown

东 dōng — part of idiomatic compound meaning 'thing'

Words with this character (9)
Show more (+4)
  • 6 东奔西走 dōng bēn xī zǒu — to rush about everywhere HSK 7
    • 东 east (representing one direction)
    • 奔 rush/run (conveys hurried movement)
    • 西 west (represents opposite direction)
    • 走 go/walk (emphasizes continuous movement)
    Example

    他为了找工作东奔西走了好几个月。

    tā wèi le zhǎo gōng zuò dōng bēn xī zǒu le hǎo jǐ gè yuè

    He rushed about everywhere for several months looking for work.

  • 7 东张西望 dōng zhāng xī wàng — look around in all directions HSK 7
    • 东 east (representing one direction)
    • 张 look, gaze (first looking action)
    • 西 west (representing opposite direction)
    • 望 gaze into distance (second looking action)
    Example

    他在人群中东张西望，好像在找人。

    tā zài rén qún zhōng dōng zhāng xī wàng hǎo xiàng zài zhǎo rén

    He looked around in all directions in the crowd, as if searching for someone.

  • 8 东道主 dōng dào zhǔ — host HSK 7
    • 东 east (from historical origin, now part of idiomatic expression for host)
    • 道 road (from historical 'eastern road', now part of idiomatic expression)
    • 主 master, host (the core meaning indicating the one who hosts)
    Example

    中国作为东道主欢迎各国代表参加会议。

    Zhōng guó zuò wéi dōng dào zhǔ huān yíng gè guó dài biǎo cān jiā huì yì

    China, as the host, welcomes representatives from various countries to attend the conference.

  • 9 股东 gǔ dōng — shareholder HSK 7
    • 股 share, stock
    • 东 owner, holder
    Example

    他是这家公司的大股东。

    tā shì zhè jiā gōng sī de dà gǔ dōng

    He is a major shareholder of this company.

西 xī / xi — part of idiomatic compound meaning 'thing'

Contextual pronunciation: xi

Words with this character (10)
  • 1 西北 xī běi — northwest HSK 3
    Example

    中国西北地区气候干燥。

    Zhōng guó xī běi dì qū qì hòu gān zào

    The climate in northwestern China is dry.

  • 2 西南 xī nán — southwest HSK 3
    Example

    西南地区的气候很温暖。

    xī nán dì qū de qì hòu hěn wēn nuǎn

    The climate in the southwest region is very warm.

  • 3 西方 xī fāng — the West HSK 3
    • 西 west
    • 方 direction, region
    Example

    西方文化对世界产生了深远的影响。

    xī fāng wén huà duì shì jiè chǎn shēng le shēn yuǎn de yǐng xiǎng

    Western culture has had a profound influence on the world.

  • 4 西瓜 xī guā — watermelon HSK 3
    • 西 west (indicating the fruit's origin from the west)
    • 瓜 melon (the type of fruit)
    Example

    夏天我喜欢吃西瓜。

    xià tiān wǒ xǐ huan chī xī guā

    I like to eat watermelon in summer.

  • 5 西红柿 xī hóng shì — tomato HSK 4
    • 西 western (indicating foreign origin)
    • 红 red (describing the color)
    • 柿 persimmon (referencing shape similarity)
    Example

    我喜欢吃西红柿炒鸡蛋。

    wǒ xǐ huan chī xī hóng shì chǎo jī dàn

    I like to eat tomato scrambled eggs.

Show more (+5)
  • 6 西部 xī bù — western region HSK 4
    • 西 west, western direction
    • 部 part, region, section
    Example

    中国西部有很多山。

    Zhōng guó xī bù yǒu hěn duō shān

    China's western region has many mountains.

  • 7 西装 xī zhuāng — suit HSK 5
    • 西 western, indicating Western/European origin
    • 装 clothing, attire, the garment itself
    Example

    他今天穿了一套西装去面试。

    tā jīn tiān chuān le yí tào xī zhuāng qù miàn shì

    He wore a suit to the interview today.

  • 8 西餐 xī cān — Western food HSK 5
    Example

    我喜欢吃西餐。

    wǒ xǐ huan chī xī cān

    I like to eat Western food.

  • 9 东奔西走 dōng bēn xī zǒu — to rush about everywhere HSK 7
    • 东 east (representing one direction)
    • 奔 rush/run (conveys hurried movement)
    • 西 west (represents opposite direction)
    • 走 go/walk (emphasizes continuous movement)
    Example

    他为了找工作东奔西走了好几个月。

    tā wèi le zhǎo gōng zuò dōng bēn xī zǒu le hǎo jǐ gè yuè

    He rushed about everywhere for several months looking for work.

  • 10 东张西望 dōng zhāng xī wàng — look around in all directions HSK 7
    • 东 east (representing one direction)
    • 张 look, gaze (first looking action)
    • 西 west (representing opposite direction)
    • 望 gaze into distance (second looking action)
    Example

    他在人群中东张西望，好像在找人。

    tā zài rén qún zhōng dōng zhāng xī wàng hǎo xiàng zài zhǎo rén

    He looked around in all directions in the crowd, as if searching for someone.

Structure & writing
1 东 dōng — east (one of the four cardinal directions, the side where the sun rises, opposite of 'west')
东 is a component in 3 characters
HSK 5
冻 dòng to freeze (of a liquid or water-containing substance)
HSK 6
栋 dòng ridgepole or main beam of a house
HSK 7
陈 chén to place; to arrange; to display

东 is an atomic character — it does not decompose further.

Stroke order

2 西 xī / xi — west (one of the four cardinal directions, the side where the sun sets; opposite of '东')
西 is a component in 4 characters
HSK 5
晒 shài （of the sun）to shine on something 洒 sǎ to sprinkle or scatter water or other things on the ground
HSK 7
栖 qī to perch (originally of birds on trees); broadly, to dwell or stay 牺 xī (lit.) sacrificial animal of pure coat color

consists of

2.1 兀 wù — towering and prominent
兀 is a component in 4 characters
HSK 1
元 yuán the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), founded by Kublai Khan 西 xī west (one of the four cardinal directions, the side where the sun sets; opposite of '东')
HSK 4
光 guāng light (visible or invisible radiation such as sunlight, lamplight, moonlight, infrared or ultraviolet rays); also called 光波 or 光线 微 wēi tiny; slight
2.2 囗 wéi — enclosure, surrounding boundary
囗 is a component in 16 characters
HSK 1
回 huí to wind, circle, or rotate 国 guó country; nation; state 西 xī west (one of the four cardinal directions, the side where the sun sets; opposite of '东')
HSK 2
因 yīn cause; reason (opposite of 果)
HSK 3
园 yuán garden (for growing vegetables, flowers, or fruit) 图 tú image depicted by drawing or painting
HSK 4
困 kùn to be trapped in hardship or difficulty; unable to break free from circumstances 围 wéi to surround; to encircle
HSK 5
团 tuán round; circular 固 gù firm; sturdy 圆 yuán plane figure enclosed by a circle
HSK 6
圈 quān circular route; loop; lap 菌 jūn microorganism (bacteria, fungi, mold, etc.); esp. pathogenic bacteria
HSK 7
卤 lǔ bittern; the bitter black liquid remaining after salt crystallization, a mixture of magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate, magnesium bromide, and sodium chloride 囚 qiú to imprison; to incarcerate 囱 cōng chimney; flue for stove or boiler

Stroke order