西 (xī) - West & Western

西Tone 1

xī ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 西

万响

西 · xī

West;

Western;

occident;

used phonetically in some words;

also refers to the West as a cultural concept.

WestWesternoccident

Usage highlights

Western directionWestern foodWestern medicineWestern styleSpainWestern Europe

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 东— east
  • 中— central/middle

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The sun sets in the west (西方).
  • I study Western medicine (西医).
  • She likes Western food (西餐).
  • This is a Spanish book (西班牙语书).

Collocations

  • Western direction(西方)
  • Western food(西餐)
  • Western medicine(西医)
  • Western style(西式)
  • Spain(西班牙)
  • Western Europe(西欧)

Idioms

  • East and West(东西)
  • Go west(上西天)
  • Sound east, strike west(声东击西)
  • Western Paradise(西方极乐世界)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese cosmology, west is one of the four cardinal directions, associated with autumn, metal, and the White Tiger.
  • Historically used to refer to Western regions beyond China, and later to Western countries.
  • In Buddhism, 'Western Paradise' refers to the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha.

FAQ