正西 (zhèng xī) — due west | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

due west

正西。
Tài yáng cóng zhèng xī luò xià.
The sun sets due west.
正西。
Yì zhí cháo zhèng xī zǒu jiù néng dào.
Keep going due west and you'll arrive.
正西。
Zhè zuò fáng zi cháo xiàng zhèng xī.
This house faces due west.

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.

The 'due' meaning specifies the exact 'west' direction in 正西.

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.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.