东西
thing; stuff
dōngxi
What does 东西 mean?
东西 (dōngxi, neutral tone on 西) is the everyday Chinese word for 'thing' or 'stuff' — any physical object whose name you can't or don't want to specify. It's the go-to word when shopping (买东西 'buy things'), packing, or pointing at something on a table.
Two surprises for English speakers: first, the same two characters read with full tones — 东西 (dōngxī) — literally mean 'east-west' and refer to directions, so context matters; second, calling a PERSON 东西 is an insult (你这个东西 = 'you piece of work') and the affectionate 小东西 ('little thing') is reserved for babies and pets. The neutral-tone reading is also why dictionaries often write it 'dōngxi' rather than 'dōngxī.'
Note: Neutral in everyday conversation, but slightly informal. In writing or formal speech, 物品 (wùpǐn) or 东西 alternatives like 事物 may sound more polished.
Character breakdown
east
west
Memory hook: In old markets, goods came from the 'east shop' and 'west shop' — 'east-west' became shorthand for 'goods / things.'
Measure word for 东西
Example sentences
这是什么东西？
Zhè shì shénme dōngxi?
What is this (thing)?
spoken
我去买点东西。
Wǒ qù mǎi diǎn dōngxi.
I'm going to buy a few things.
spoken
你想吃什么东西？
Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme dōngxi?
What would you like to eat?
spoken
桌子上有很多东西。
Zhuōzi shàng yǒu hěn duō dōngxi.
There are a lot of things on the table.
neutral
Common phrases with 东西
Hear it in real Fluentide episodes
东西 appears in 2 podcast episodes at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
Don't confuse 东西 with
FAQ
Related words from the same episodes
Acquire by listening
Hear 东西 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.
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