The Chinese word 东边 (dōngbian) is a compound noun formed by combining the morpheme 东 (dōng), meaning "east", with the suffix 边 (bian), which denotes "side" or "direction". It functions as a locative noun, literally translating to "the east side" or "in/to the east". This structure is a common and productive pattern in Mandarin for indicating cardinal and intermediate directions, where a directional root (e.g., 南 south, 西 west, 北 north) is paired with 边 or similar suffixes like 面 (miàn) or 部 (bù) to specify an area or orientation relative to a point of reference.