东西 dōngxi thing
thing, anything
How to remember 东西: 东 east + 西 west = thing.
Characters
How it is used
- A thing / stuff - 买东西 (mǎi dōngxi) go shopping, 吃点东西 grab a bite.
- For concrete objects and goods, not abstract matters (use 事情 for affairs/matters).
- Toned dōngxī it literally means 'east-west' (a direction); toneless dōngxi it means 'thing' - 骂人的东西 as an insult means 'a nasty thing/person'.
Example sentences
- 那是什么东西？ Nà shì shénme dōngxi?What's that?
- 我正在吃东西。 Wǒ zhèngzài chī dōngxī.I'm eating.
- 有人在吃东西。 Yǒurén zài chī dōngxī.Somebody is eating.
- 你在吃东西吗？ Nǐ zài chī dōngxī ma?Have you been eating?