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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "east" in Chinese?
东
dōng
In Chinese, "east" is 东.
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Pronunciation
One syllable: 'dong' with a flat, high tone. Steady and level like the steady rise of the eastern sun.
Writing and usage
Dong is five strokes. The character's radical suggests the sun rising above something, fitting its meaning of eastward.
Example sentence
太阳从东边升起。
The sun rises in the east.
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How to remember 东
Dong sounds like 'dong' - the east is where the sun goes dong (hits) the sky at dawn.
Related words
- backwards 向后 xiàng hòu
- left 左 zuǒ
- next to 在旁边 zài páng biān
- north 北 běi
- north-east 东北 dōng běi
- north-west 西北 xī běi
- south 南 nán
- south-west 西南 xī nán
- west 西 xī
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 东
How do you say "east" in Chinese?
In Chinese, "east" is 东. It is a noun.
How is 东 written in Chinese?
Dong is five strokes. The character's radical suggests the sun rising above something, fitting its meaning of eastward.
How is 东 used in a sentence?
Use 东 as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: 太阳从东边升起。 (The sun rises in the east.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
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"East" in other languages
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