东北 (Dōng běi) — Northeast China | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

东北 (Dōngběi) names the Northeast region of China — a specific place, not a direction. Unlike 北方 ('the north' in general), 东北 always refers to this fixed region.

noun

Northeast China

Examples

东北。
Tā qù guò Dōng běi.
He has been to Northeast China.
东北。
Wǒ xiǎng míng nián qù Dōng běi lǚ yóu.
I want to travel to Northeast China next year.
东北。
Dōng běi De dōng tiān hěn lěng.
The winter in Northeast China is very cold.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

东 means east, 北 means north; together they name the northeast region.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 東; 东 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 東 originally drew a full bag tied at both ends. The simplified 东 is a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The form 北 shows two people standing back to back. It originally meant 'back'.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 3 China — Places

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