Chinese–EnglishWith examples

东西

dōng xī · dong xi/dōng xi · dong xi

Traditional 東西

HSK 1Measure words: 个 gè, 件 jiàn

Meaning

CC-CEDICT

dōng xī 東西

  1. east and west

dōng xi 東西

  1. thing
  2. stuff
  3. person
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In a conversation

0:17 cartoon

A good thing, the owner said

  1. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)买(mǎi)了(le)什么(shénme)东西(dōngxi)？

    What did you buy?

  2. Dengdeng

    一(yī)个(gè)好(hǎo)东西(dōngxi)！

    A good thing!

  3. Liangliang

    是(shì)什么(shénme)？

    What is it?

  4. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)也(yě)不(bù)知道(zhīdào)，老板(lǎobǎn)说(shuō)是(shì)好(hǎo)东西(dōngxi)。

    I do not know either. The owner said it is a good thing.

  5. Liangliang

    那(nà)你(nǐ)为什么(wèishénme)买(mǎi)呢(ne)？

    Then why did you buy it?

  6. Dengdeng

    他(tā)说(shuō)很(hěn)便宜(piányi)，所以(suǒyǐ)我(wǒ)就(jiù)买(mǎi)了(le)。

    He said it was cheap, so I bought it.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

桌(zhuō)子(zi)上(shàng)放(fàng)着(zhe)很(hěn)多(duō)东(dōng)西(xi)。

There are many things placed on the table.

02

这(zhè)条(tiáo)大(dà)街(jiē)是(shì)东(dōng)西(xī)走(zǒu)向(xiàng)的(de)。

This avenue runs east to west.

Sources & licenses

How to write

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
东
dōng

east; host (i.e. sitting on east side of guest)

西
xī

west

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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