东部 dōngbù the east
the east; eastern part
How to remember 东部: 东 east + 部 section = the east.
Characters
How it is used
- 东部 (dōngbù) means the eastern part/region of a larger area, used for countries, provinces, or cities: 中国东部 (Zhōngguó dōngbù) - eastern China.
- It's a written, geographic/administrative term, more common in news, weather reports, and maps than in casual speech, where people might just say 东边 (dōngbiān).
- Compare 东边 (dōngbiān), which is more colloquial and can describe a smaller-scale 'east side' of anything (a room, a town), while 东部 implies a formally divided region.
- Often paired with 地区 (dìqū): 东部地区 (dōngbù dìqū) - the eastern region.