关西 (Guān xī) — Kansai (region in Japan, including Osaka, Kyoto…

Definition

In modern Japanese context, 关西 refers to the Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe). In Chinese history, it means the area west of Hangu Pass.

noun

Kansai (region in Japan, including Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, etc.)the region west of Hangu Pass (historical China)

Easily confused

关西，。
Míng nián wǒ dǎ suàn qù Guān xī lǚ yóu, kàn kàn dà bǎn hé jīng dū.
Next year I plan to travel to Kansai and visit Osaka and Kyoto.
，关西。
Zài qín cháo, Guān xī shì zhòng yào de zhèng zhì hé jūn shì zhōng xīn.
During the Qin dynasty, the region west of Hangu Pass was an important political and military center.
关西。
Guān xī De fāng yán hé dōng jīng huà hěn bù yí yàng.
The Kansai dialect is very different from Tokyo speech.

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.

“关” names the pass and “西” gives the west side, together meaning the region west of that pass.

Characters in this word

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 關; 关 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

門門méndoor

Sound part声符shēngfú

𢇅

𢇅𢇅關guān

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 关, the traditional form 關 shows 門 as a door and 𢇅 as two wooden sticks locking it, with ring-like marks on top.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.