The term **东欧** (Dōng Ōu), meaning "Eastern Europe," is a straightforward compound word formed by combining the directional character **东** (dōng), meaning "east," with the abbreviated form of **欧洲** (Ōuzhōu), meaning "Europe," which is **欧** (Ōu). This follows a common Chinese word-formation pattern where a geographic or cultural region is specified by prefixing it with a cardinal direction, creating a clear and concise term for a specific area within a larger continent.