西

• Pinyin: xī
• Hanzi breakdown: 西 = originally a pictograph of a bird nesting, representing the direction of the setting sun

Meaning

West. One of the four cardinal directions.

Used both as a standalone direction word and in many compounds: 西边 (the west side), 西方 (the West/Western), 东西 (thing — literally 'east-west'). The character also appears in place names such as 西安 (Xi'an) and 西藏 (Tibet).

Examples

1. 太阳从西边落下。 The sun sets in the west.
2. 公园在学校的西边。 The park is to the west of the school.
3. 往西走五分钟就到了。 Walk west for five minutes and you'll arrive.

Usage Guide

Context: direction, geography

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 火车站在西边。(The train station is to the west.)
• 中国的西部有很多山。(There are many mountains in western China.)

Don't Say

• 去西走。(Wrong — say 往西走; use 往 before directional words to indicate 'towards')

Origin & History

Originally a pictograph of a bird nesting at sunset, representing the direction of the setting sun — the west.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal