東

東 U+6771, 東 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6771 ← 杰 [U+6770] CJK Unified Ideographs 杲 → [U+6772]

Stroke order

Stroke order

東 (Kangxi radical 75, 木+4, 8 strokes, cangjie input 木田 (DW), four-corner 5090₆, composition ⿻木日 or ⿻束一)

• 倲(㑈), 凍(冻), 㖦, 埬(𪣆), 娻, 崠, 𢔅, 𢛔(𫹼), 㨂, 涷, 𤟈, 陳(陈), 腖(胨), 棟(栋), 𬌃, 𤦪, 𬨮, 𫞸, 䍶, 蝀(𬟽), 諌, 𧳣, 𧼓, 𨌿, 錬, 㯥, 𩜍, 𩣳, 鯟, 䵔, 𫨽, 𮟽, 㼯, 𧡍(𬢈), 䰤, 鶇(鸫), 𫳒, 崬(岽), 氭(𣱝), 菄, 䦨, 𩭩, 𪂝
• 練 (Exception: Only for Japanese shinjitai. Other regions contain 柬 instead)
• 重 (Contains 東 as a phonetic)

• 东 (Simplified Chinese)

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 513, character 12
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 14499
• Dae Jaweon: page 899, character 8
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1165, character 4
• Unihan data for U+6771

trad.		東
simp.		东

Jiajie (假借) and ideogram (指事): 束 (OC *hljoɡ) or 橐 (OC *tʰaːɡ) borrowed for sound 東 (OC *toːŋ), with a horizontal stroke added as a distinguishing mark to differentiate the character from 束.

Alternatively, it is also thought to be a pictogram (象形) of either a bundle of faggots tied together or a bag tied at both ends (like a cellophane-wrapped candy with the ends twisted).

Interpreted in the Shuowen Jiezi as an ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意) the sun (日) rising behind a tree (木). According to Allan (1991) p. 47-50, the character represents the Fu Sang tree. However, the original form is rather different, hence any interpretation tied to a tree is most likely a folk etymology.

See the top component of 曹 in the original version. See also 柬, 熏, 西 and 鹵/卤.

Cognate with Burmese ထွန်း (htwan:, “be bright”), Chepang थोङ्‌सा (thoŋ‑, “lighten; be bright”) and Chepang थोङ्‌ह (thoŋh, “awake time (as opposed to dream time)”) (Schuessler, 2007). Perhaps related to or influenced by 暾 (OC *tʰuːn, “rising sun”).

東

1. east

   東亞／东亚  ―  Dōngyà  ―  East Asia

   東德／东德  ―  Dōngdé  ―  East Germany

2. host

   做東／做东  ―  zuòdōng  ―  to be host

3. landlord; owner

   房東／房东  ―  fángdōng  ―  landlord

   股東／股东  ―  gǔdōng  ―  shareholder

4. (Teochew) side
5. (Korean Classical Chinese) Korea

   大東 [Korean Literary Sinitic]  ―  Daedong [Sino-Korean]  ―  Korea

   • 字音有東正而華譌者。 [Korean Literary Sinitic, trad.]

     From: 《古芸堂筆記/고운당필기》, 1790s

     Ja'eum yu Dong jeong i Hwa wa ja. [Sino-Korean]

     For the pronunciations of some Chinese characters, the Korean reading is correct and the Chinese is erroneous.

6. (～日) (telegraphy) the first day of a month

compass points: 方位 (fāngwèi):  ^[edit]

西北 (xīběi)	北	東北 / 东北 (dōngběi)
西 (xī)		東 / 东 (dōng)
西南 (xīnán)	南	東南 / 东南 (dōngnán)

Others:

• Japanese: 東(トン) (ton, “east wind (mahjong tile)”)

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

• Go-on: つう (tsū)
• Kan-on: とう (tō, Jōyō)
• Sō-on: とん (ton)
• Kun: ひがし (higashi, 東, Jōyō)、あずま (azuma, 東)^{←あづま (aduma, 東, historical)}
• Nanori: あい (ai)、あがり (agari)、あきら (akira)、こ (ko)、こち (kochi)、さき (saki)、しの (shino)、とお (tō)、はじめ (hajime)、はる (haru)、ひが (higa)、もと (moto)、のぼる (noboru)

Kanji in this term
東
ひがし Grade: 2
kun'yomi

/ɸiŋɡaɕi/ → /ɸiɡaɕi/ → /hiɡaɕi/

Sound shift from hingashi (see Etymology 2 below).

Now the standard word for east.^[1][2]

• (Tokyo) ひがし [hìgáshí] (Heiban – [0])^[2][3]
• (Tokyo) ひがし [hìgáshíꜜ] (Odaka – [3])^[2][3]
• IPA^(key): [çiɡa̠ɕi]

東(ひがし) • (higashi) 

1. the east (compass point)

   Antonym: 西 (nishi)

2. the Orient

   Synonym: 東洋 (tōyō)

3. an easterly (wind blowing from the east)

   Synonym: 東風 (kochi, kochikaze, tōfū, higashikaze)

4. (sumo) higher-ranked wrestlers listed on the right of a banzuke

   Antonym: 西 (nishi)

5. an Eastern Bloc country

   Synonym: 東側 (higashigawa)

   Antonym: 西 (nishi)

6. (regional, historical) Kamakura and/or Edo, as opposed to Kyoto and Osaka

   Antonym: 西 (nishi)

7. (theater) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

compass points: 方角 (hōgaku):  ^[edit]

北西 (hokusei) 西北 (seihoku)	北 (kita)	北東 (hokutō) 東北 (tōhoku)
西 (nishi)		東 (higashi)
西南 (seinan) 南西 (nansei)	南 (minami)	東南 (tōnan) 南東 (nantō)

• → English: higashi

東(ひがし) • (Higashi) 

1. a historical red-light district in Edo located east of Edo Castle, today in Fukagawa, Kōtō, Tokyo prefecture
2. (Buddhism) short for 東本願寺 (Higashi Hongan-ji): a Buddhist temple in Shimogyō, Kyoto, Japan

   Synonym: お東 (o-Higashi)

3. Higashi (multiple places throughout Japan, especially referring to a ward in Okayama, Kumamoto, Sakai, Sapporo, Nagoya, Niigata, Hamamatsu, Hiroshima and Fukuoka)
4. a former ward in Osaka, Japan
5. a surname

   東(ひがし)音(おと)高(たか)

   Higashi Ototaka

   Ototaka Higashi, pediatrician known for Chédiak–Higashi syndrome

Kanji in this term
東
ひんがし Grade: 2
irregular

*⟨pi₁ muka si⟩ → */pʲimukasi/ → /pimʉɡasi/ → /ɸimʉɡaɕi/ → /ɸiŋɡaɕi/ → /hiŋɡaɕi/

Shift from Old Japanese 東 (*pi₁mukasi).^[1][2]

東(ひんがし) • (hingashi) 

1. (obsolete) the east

For quotations using this term, see Citations:東.

Kanji in this term
東
あずま Grade: 2
kun'yomi

Alternative spellings
吾妻 吾嬬

⟨aduma⟩ → /ad͡zuma/ → /azuma/

From Old Japanese,^[1][2] itself of unknown derivation.

• (Tokyo) あずま [áꜜzùmà] (Atamadaka – [1])^[2][3]
• IPA^(key): [a̠zɨma̠]

東(あずま) • (azuma) ^{←あづま (aduma)?}

1. (archaic) the east
   • c. 715: Fudoki (Hitachi)

     古者 自相模國足柄岳坂以東諸縣惣我姬國 [...]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (archaic) the lands east of the 都 (miyako, “imperial capital”)
3. (regional, historical) during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, the Kamakura region or its titular 幕府 (bakufu, “shogunate”), as opposed to the imperial capital of Kyoto
4. (regional, historical) during the Edo period, the region around Edo
5. short for 東つ (azumatsu): This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
6. short for 東琴 (azumagoto): a six-stringed Japanese zither
7. short for 東下駄 (azumageta): This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

東(あずま) • (Azuma) ^{←あづま (Aduma)?}

1. a placename
2. a unisex given name
3. a surname

Kanji in this term
東
とう Grade: 2
kan'on

From Middle Chinese 東 (MC tuwng).

• (Tokyo) とー [tóꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [to̞ː]

東(とう) • (Tō) 

1. short for 関東 (Kantō): the Kantō region of Japan
2. short for 東国 (Tōgoku): a historical administrative division of Japan, corresponding to the modern Kantō and Tōkai regions
3. short for 東京 (Tōkyō): Tokyo
4. a surname

• 東(とう)上(じょう) (tōjō, “going to Tokyo”)

東(とう) • (tō) 

1. (music) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

東(とう) • (tō) 

1. east

Kanji in this term
東
とん Grade: 2
sōon

From Mandarin 東 / 东 (dōng).

Compare Wu 東 / 东 (ton), Hakka 東 / 东 (tûng), Min Nan 東 / 东 (tong).

• (Tokyo) トン [tóꜜǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [tõ̞ɴ]

東(トン) • (ton) 

1. (mahjong) east wind (mahjong tile)

   Hypernym: 風牌 (kazehai, fanpai)

2. (mahjong) a 役 (yaku, “winning hand”) with a triplet or quad of east wind tiles; depending on wind round and player's seat wind, it is worth either 1 or 2 翻 (han, “doubles”)

   Hypernym: 役牌 (yakuhai, yaku-pai)

• 東(トン)風(ぷう)戦(せん) (tonpūsen, “east-round game”)

• 風牌(かぜハイ) (kazehai, “wind tiles”): 東(トン) (ton, “east wind”), 南(ナン) (nan, “south wind”), 西(シャー) (shā, “west wind”), 北(ペー) (pē, “north wind”)

東(とん) • (Ton) 

1. a surname

Kanji in this term
東
あきら Grade: 2
nanori

Nominalization of the stem of adjective 明らか (akiraka, “clear”).

• (Tokyo) あきら [áꜜkìrà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [a̠kʲiɾa̠]

東(あきら) • (Akira) 

1. a surname
2. a male given name

Kanji in this term
東
のぼる Grade: 2
nanori

Nominalization of verb 上る, 登る (noboru, “to ascend, rise”).

• IPA^(key): [no̞bo̞ɾɯ̟]

東(のぼる) • (Noboru) 

1. a male given name

Kanji in this term
東
はじめ Grade: 2
nanori

Nominalization of the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of verb 始める (hajimeru, “to begin, start”).

• (Tokyo) はじめ [hàjímé] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ha̠ʑime̞]

東(はじめ) • (Hajime) 

1. a surname
2. a male given name

• “東”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[1] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2025

From Middle Chinese 東 (MC tuwng).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	도ᇰ (Yale: twòng)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
	Gloss (hun)	Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527[2]	도ᇰ녁 (Yale: twòngnyèk)	도ᇰ (Yale: twòng)

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [to̞ŋ]
• Phonetic hangul: [동]

東 (eumhun 동녘 동 (dongnyeok dong))

1. hanja form^? of 동 (“east; eastern”)

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [3]

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

• On (unclassified): とー (tō)、とぅ (tu)
• Kun: く (ku, 東)、くち (kuchi, 東)、あがり (agari, 東)

• 東風(くち) (kuchi), 東(くち)風(かじ) (kuchikaji)
• 東(とー)京(ちょー) (Tōchō)
• 広(くゎん)東(とぅ)瓜(うい) (kwantūi)

Kanji in this term
東
あがり Grade: 2
kun'yomi

From 上り (agari, “ascent, rise”) in reference to the direction where the sun rises or ascends.

• IPA^(key): /ʔaɡaɾi/

東(あがり) (agari) 

1. east

• 東風 (ayu, *koti, *kotikaze)

Ultimate derivation unknown.

A speculative origin might be a compound of 天 (ama, “sky, heavens”, combining form) +‎ 端 (tuma, “edge, beginning”), but the elision of the ma in ama does not follow normal patterns.

• 吾妻

東 (aduma) (kana あづま)

1. the east
2. the lands east of the 都 (mi₁yako₁, “imperial capital”)

For quotations using this term, see Citations:東.

• Japanese: 東 (azuma)

Found in one poem of the Man'yōshū (c. 759 CE), but consistently spelled with this single kanji rather than in man'yōgana, thus leaving the reading unspecified.

Originally a compound of 日 (pi₁, “sun”) +‎ 向か (muka, the 未然形 (mizenkei, “incomplete form”) of verb 向く (muku), “to face a direction”).^[1][2] The final -si is possibly either the 風 (si) affix meaning “wind”, or a suffix indicating direction as in 昔 (mukasi, “past”).

東 (*pi₁mukasi) (kana ひむかし)

1. the east

For quotations using this term, see Citations:東.

• Japanese: 東 (hingashi → higashi)

• 日向 (Pi₁muka)

東: Hán Việt readings: đông^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}
東: Nôm readings: đông^[1][2][3], đang^[3]

1. chữ Hán form of đông (“east, eastern”)

compass points:  ^[edit]

tây bắc (西北)	bắc (北)	đông bắc (東北)
tây (西)		đông (東)
tây nam (西南)	nam (南)	đông nam (東南)

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

• Kun: あがり (agari, 東)

From 上り (agari, “ascent, rise”) in reference to the direction where the sun rises or ascends.

• IPA^(key): /ʔaɡaɾi/

東(あがり) (agari) 

1. east