Chinese word

东北

Pronunciation

Pinyindōng běi

Meaning

  • nounnortheast

Example

风从东北方向吹来。fēng cóng dōng běi fāng xiàng chuī lái

The wind is blowing from the northeast.

Illustration for 东北 (northeast)

More examples

我们打算去东北看雪。wǒ men dǎ suàn qù dōng běi kàn xuě

We plan to go to the northeast to see the snow.

Core concept

A compass corner between north and east that also names China's northeastern region.

Common phrases

  • 东北方向dōng běi fāng xiàng

    northeastern direction

  • 来自东北lái zì dōng běi

    coming from the northeast

  • 东北风dōng běi fēng

    northeasterly wind

Similar words

东北方dōng běi fāng: A compass direction a little east of north.
东北方向dōng běi fāng xiàng: The direction in which something travels or wind blows between north and east.
东北部dōng běi bù: The area between the northern and eastern parts of a country or region.
东北地区dōng běi dì qū: A wide region located in the northeast of a country or large area.

Definition in Chinese

表示介于北和东之间的方向，指向从正北偏向东方的方位。biǎo shì jiè yú běi hé dōng zhī jiān de fāng xiàng zhǐ xiàng cóng zhèng běi piān xiàng dōng fāng de fāng wèi

Word origin

东北 (dōngběi, "northeast") combines 东 (dōng, "east") + 北 (běi, "north"), so the two direction words name the space between them and the region there.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may hear "the Northeast" as a region in the United States, but Chinese commonly uses this word for China's northeastern region, so the country context matters.

Other meanings

  • Northeast Chinanoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 东北人dōng běi rénNortheast China nativenoun
  • 东北话dōng běi huàNortheastern dialectnoun
  • 东北地区dōng běi dì qūNortheast China areanoun

Word lists with this word