About
The character "西" originated from a pictographic depiction of a bird perched on a nest, which conceptually aligned with the setting sun in the west and avian return at dusk, leading to its adoption as the symbol for the cardinal direction west. Its structure is a unified form, consistent in both traditional and simplified orthography, and it functions as an independent radical in the modern writing system. The meaning of "西" broadened from strictly directional use to encompass objects and ideas associated with western regions, evident in compounds like "西瓜", where it denotes the western origin of the watermelon.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我喜欢吃西瓜。
太阳从西边落下。
我们去西餐厅吃饭。
他穿了一套西服。
西红柿炒鸡蛋很好吃。
西部的风景非常美丽。
学习西方文化很有意义。
这家商店主要销售进口西药。