以西 (yǐ xī) — (suffix) to the west of (a location) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

以X suffixes a place name to mean 'to the X of' it (以东, 以西, 以南, 以北), and is written — everyday speech uses 在…的东/西/南/北边 instead.

suffix

to the west of (a location)

Examples

以西。
Xué xiào zài cháng ān jiē yǐ xī.
The school is to the west of Chang'an Street.
以西。
Zhè ge chéng shì yǐ xī yǒu yí piàn sēn lín.
To the west of this city, there is a forest.
以西。
Nà tiáo hé zài wǒ men de cūn zhuāng yǐ xī.
That river is to the west of our village.

Origin

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

以 (from) + 西 (west) points to the area west of a place.

Characters in this word

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

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in

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