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东部 (dōng bù) — the east; eastern part

Definition

东部 means 'the east' specifically as a REGION or part of something (e.g., the east of a country). 东 is just the direction; 东方 is more literary, often 'the East / the Orient.'

noun
the easteastern part
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 东部。
    Zhōng guó de dōng bù hěn fā dá.
    The eastern part of China is very developed.
  • 。
    Tā zhù zài chéng shì de yī.
    He lives in the eastern part of the city.
  • 东部。
    Wǒ men cóng dōng bù chū fā qù lǚ xíng.
    We set out from the east to travel.

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
部bùpart

东 means east, 部 means part; together they name the eastern part.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
邑邑yì
Sound part声符shēngfú
咅
咅pǒu部bù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

部 pairs 咅, which gives the sound, with 邑. It originally named a place in today's Gansu.

Open 部 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4Directions

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