西 (xī): west; western

Meanings

1 west; western

Characters

西

xī

west; western

Examples

太阳从西边落下。

Tàiyáng cóng xībiān luòxià.

The sun sets in the west.

西方文化

Xīfāng wénhuà

Western culture

Tips

usage

西 appears in many geographic and cultural terms: 西方 (the West), 西安 (an ancient capital), 西餐 (Western food), 东西 (thing/stuff).

culture

东西 literally means 'east-west' but is used to mean 'thing/stuff.' One folk explanation: in ancient markets, goods were traded between the east and west sides of town.

Components

pictograph

西 xī

west

Originally a pictograph of a bird sitting in a nest — birds returning to roost at sunset (in the west) gave the directional meaning. As Kangxi radical #146 it appears in 要 (want), 票 (ticket), 覆 (cover). The visual top-frame-with-legs shape is preserved.