西南

• Pinyin: xī nán
• Hanzi breakdown: 西 = pictograph of a bird's nest (west); 南 = originally depicted a musical instrument, later associated with the south

Meaning

Southwest. A cardinal direction referring to the area between west and south.

Used for geographical directions and regions. In China, 西南 often refers to the southwest region including Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Chongqing. Also used in everyday directional speech.

Examples

1. 公园在我家的西南方向。 The park is to the southwest of my home.
2. 中国西南的风景很美。 The scenery in southwest China is very beautiful.
3. 明天西南地区会下雨。 It will rain in the southwest region tomorrow.

Usage Guide

Context: directions, geography, weather

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 云南在中国的西南部。(Yunnan is in the southwest of China.)
• 请往西南方向走。(Please walk in the southwest direction.)

Don't Say

• 把西南说成南西 (Don't say 南西 — the correct order in Chinese is always 西南 for southwest)

Origin & History

西 (xī, west) + 南 (nán, south). A compound of two directional characters forming the intercardinal direction.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal