Meaning of 东西
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- thing
- stuff
- person
Measure word: 個|个,件
- east and west
How to use 东西
With a neutral tone on the second syllable, 东西 (dōngxi) is the everyday word for things or stuff, and it often appears with 买 (mǎi, to buy) or 吃 (chī, to eat). Example: 我去超市买东西。(Wǒ qù chāoshì mǎi dōngxi.) I'm going to the supermarket to buy some things.
东 (dōng) means east and 西 (xī) means west, so 东西 covers everything from east to west. Anything you can find in between is a "thing."
Common mistake: Learners often say dōngxī with a full first tone on 西 when they mean "stuff." That pronunciation means "east and west," so keep 西 light and short as xi for "thing."
东西 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
东 dōng · east · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
西 xī · west · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 东西.
Questions about 东西
What does 东西 mean?
东西 (dōngxi) means "thing; stuff" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 东西?
东西 is made of 2 characters: 东 (5 strokes), 西 (6 strokes). That is 11 strokes in total.
Is 东西 an HSK word?
Yes. 东西 is on the HSK 1 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 东西 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 东西 is written 東西.
Can 东西 be used to describe a person?
Yes, but usually as an insult or in a teasing way, as in 你这个东西 (nǐ zhège dōngxi), roughly "you little thing." Use it this way only with people you know well, because it can sound rude.
What measure word goes with 东西?
The most common one is 个 (gè), as in 一个东西 (yí ge dōngxi), one thing. For an unspecified amount, use 一些 (yìxiē) or 点 (diǎn), as in 买点东西 (mǎi diǎn dōngxi), buy a few things.