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东边 (dōng bian) — east (side), east area

Definition

noun
east (side)east area

Examples

  • 东边。
    Wǒ jiā zhù zài dōng bian.
    My home is located in the east.
  • 东边。
    dōng bian Yǒu yí gè hěn dà de gōng yuán.
    There is a very big park in the east.
  • 东边。
    Tài yáng cóng dōng bian shēng qǐ lái.
    The sun rises from the east.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

东dōngeast
边biānside

东 gives east and 边 gives side, naming the eastern side or area.

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 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →
Appears in
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