东 meaning and stroke order
East; host (i.e. sitting on east side of guest); landlord
How to write 东, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 东
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- east
- host (i.e. sitting on east side of guest)
- landlord
How 东 is built
Pictographic character. Simplified form of 東, the sun 日 rising behind a tree 木.
Radical: 一 (one), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 东
东 comes from the older form 東, which shows the sun 日 rising behind a tree 木. The sun comes up in the east, so picture morning light breaking through branches.
东 (dōng) means east and appears in direction words like 东边 (dōngbian) and 东北 (dōngběi). It also means host or owner, as in 房东 (fángdōng, landlord) and 股东 (gǔdōng, shareholder). Example: 我家在城市的东边。(Wǒ jiā zài chéngshì de dōngbian.) My home is on the east side of the city.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 东 (dōng) with 车 (chē, car), since both are short and boxy with a vertical stroke down the middle. In 东, the bottom has two small dots on either side of the hook, while 车 has a long horizontal line across it.
Common words with 东
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 东西 | dōngxi | east and west | HSK 1 |
| 东边 | dōngbian | east; east side | HSK 1 |
| 东方 | dōngfāng | east | HSK 2 |
| 东北 | dōngběi | northeast | HSK 2 |
| 东南 | dōngnán | southeast | HSK 2 |
| 东部 | dōngbù | the east; eastern part | HSK 3 |
| 房东 | fángdōng | landlord | HSK 3 |
| 股东 | gǔdōng | shareholder; stockholder | HSK 6 |
| 东道主 | dōngdàozhǔ | host; official host (e.g. venue for games or a conference) | HSK 7-9 |
| 东奔西走 | dōngbēn-xīzǒu | to run this way and that (idiom); to rush about busily; to bustle about | HSK 7-9 |
| 东张西望 | dōngzhāng-xīwàng | to look in all directions (idiom); to glance around | HSK 7-9 |
| 东东 | dōngdōng | (coll.) thing; item | |
| 老东西 | lǎodōngxi | (derog.) old fool; old bastard | |
| 东面 | dōngmiàn | east side (of sth) |
东 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 东
Learning 东 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 东
How many strokes are in 东?
东 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 东 mean?
东 (dōng) means east; host (i.e. sitting on east side of guest); landlord. A common word with it is 东西 (dōngxi), meaning "east and west".
How do you pronounce 东?
东 is pronounced dōng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 东?
The radical of 东 is 一, which carries the idea of "one". Dictionaries list 东 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 东?
The traditional form of 东 is 東. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 东 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 东 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 东 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
Why does 东西 mean thing if it is east and west?
When 西 is read in the neutral tone, 东西 (dōngxi) means thing or stuff, as in 买东西 (mǎi dōngxi, to go shopping). When both syllables keep full tones, dōngxī, it means east and west.
Why does 东 also mean host?
In traditional seating, the host sat on the east side and the guest on the west. That is why words like 房东 (landlord) and 做东 (zuòdōng, to treat someone as host) use 东.