东西
dōng xī
Stuff · trad. 東西
东西 (dōngxi) is a very common and versatile word in Mandarin Chinese, meaning "stuff," "things," or "objects." It can refer to almost any physical item, and sometimes even abstract concepts. It's used frequently in daily conversation.
When to use it
Neutral to casual. It's suitable for most everyday situations. For more formal contexts or when referring specifically to "goods" or "articles," 物品 (wùpǐn) might be used. Be aware that 东西 can also be used in a derogatory way to refer to a person, meaning "thing" or "scoundrel," but this is highly context-dependent.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "DONG-shee." The first character, 东, is a high-level tone (first tone); the second character, 西, is usually pronounced with a light, neutral tone.
Other ways to say it
- 物品wù pǐnarticles, goods, items (more formal)
- 杂物zá wùmiscellaneous items, clutter
- 物件wù jiànobject, item (slightly more formal than 东西)
Examples
我有很多东西要买。
wǒ yǒu hěn duō dōng xī yào mǎi 。
I have a lot of stuff to buy.
把你的东西都收好。
bǎ nǐ de dōng xī dōu shōu hǎo 。
Put all your stuff away.
这东西很好吃。
zhè dōng xī hěn hǎo chī 。
This stuff (or "this thing") is delicious.
Pro tip: The second character 西 (xi) in 东西 is almost always pronounced with a neutral tone, not its original first tone. So it's "dōng-xi," not "dōng-xī."
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
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