dōng东xī西(Mandarin)(Cantonese)
dōng东
xī西
(Mandarin)
(Cantonese)
東西 (Traditional: 東西)
HSK 1
Dictionary
east and west
Examples
这条街东西方向走到底就是超市。
Zhè tiáo jiē dōng xī fāng xiàng zǒu dào dǐ jiù shì chāo shì.
→ Walking east and west to the end of this street will lead you to the supermarket.
Did You Know?
Cultural Note
Word Formation
东 means 'east' and 西 means 'west', literally 'east-west' but together mean 'thing/stuff'.
Usage Tips
Avoid giving a clock (钟) as a gift because it sounds like 'sending someone off to their end' — but 东西 itself is neutral for any object.