正东 (zhèng dōng) — due east | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

正东 means 'due east' — exactly east, not slightly north or south of east. As a directional term, it pairs with 方向 ('正东方向').

noun

due east

Examples

正东。
Tài yáng cóng zhèng dōng shēng qǐ.
The sun rises from due east.
正东，。
Fáng zi cháo zhèng dōng, zǎo shàng hěn liàng.
The house faces due east, so it's very bright in the morning.
正东。
Dì tú shàng biāo chū le zhèng dōng fāng xiàng.
The map marks the due east direction.

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.

正 fixes the direction of 东 as exactly east.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

丁dīng正zhèng

Same sound today

正 pairs 止 with 丁; 止 marks the sense and 丁 gives the sound.

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.

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