西

west

HSK Level 1

Example Sentences

我在中国西部长大。

Wǒ zài zhōngguó xībù zhǎng dà.

I grew up in western China.

我喜欢吃西餐。

Wǒ xǐhuān chī xīcān.

I like to eat western food.

我住在西边。

Wǒ zhù zài xībiān.

I live in the west.

Synonyms

西方 (xīfāng)

the West

西方国家 (xīfāng guójiā)

Western countries

西方文化 (xīfāng wénhuà)

Western culture

Antonyms

(dōng)

east

西 (xī)

west

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Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 西 (xī) for "west" is composed of two parts: 日 (rì) for "sun" and 止 (zhǐ) for "stop". The original meaning of 西 was "the place where the sun sets", which is why it is used to refer to the west.The character 西 has been used in Chinese for over 3,000 years. It is one of the most common characters in the Chinese language, and it is used in a variety of words and phrases. For example, 西瓜 (xīguā) means "watermelon", 西红柿 (xīhóngshì) means "tomato", and 西装 (xīzhuāng) means "suit".The character 西 is also used in many Chinese idioms and proverbs. For example, the idiom 西出阳关 (xīchū yángguān) means "to go on a long journey", and the proverb 西施捧心 (xīshī pěngxīn) means "to be very beautiful".The character 西 is a rich and complex character with a long history. It is a valuable addition to any HSK learner's vocabulary.