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东南 (dōng nán) — southeast

Definition

A compound direction meaning 'southeast.' It combines 东 (east) and 南 (south), and is used the same way as the standalone direction words 东南西北 in describing location, like 西南 ('southwest').

noun
southeast

Examples

  • 东南。
    Huǒ chē zhàn jiù zài chéng shì de dōng nán biān.
    The train station is on the southeast side of the city.
  • 东南，。
    Fēng cóng dōng nán chuī lái, tiān qì biàn nuǎn le.
    The wind is blowing from the southeast, and the weather is getting warmer.
  • 东南。
    Wǒ men xué xiào zài gōng yuán de dōng nán fāng xiàng.
    Our school is to the southeast of the park.

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dōngeast
南nánsouth

东 means east, 南 means south; together they name the southeast direction.

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.

Open 东 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 南 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3Directions

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