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Kotomora

東

east

JLPTN5StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 100Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • トウ

Kun'yomi

  • ひがし

Nanori

  • あい
  • あがり
  • あずま
  • あづま

Meaning

東 centers on the cardinal direction east, the direction of the rising sun.

Most common words using 東

24 of 562
  • 東京とうきょう
    N5

    Tokyo

  • 東ひがし
    N5

    east

  • 関東かんとう
    N2

    Kantō (region comprising Tokyo and surrounding prefectures)

  • 東北とうほく

    north-east

  • 東方とうほう

    eastern direction

  • 東海とうかい

    Tōkai region (of Honshu; incl. Aichi, Shizuoka, Mie and southern Gifu prefectures)

  • 中東ちゅうとう
    N3

    Middle East

  • 東西とうざい
    N2

    east and west

  • 東洋とうよう
    N2

    the East; the Orient; (East) Asia

  • 東部とうぶ
    N1

    eastern part; the east (of a region)

  • 北東ほくとう
    N1

    northeast

  • 東口ひがしぐち

    east entrance; east exit

  • 南東なんとう
    N1

    southeast

  • 東側ひがしがわ

    east side; east bank

  • 東亜とうあ

    East Asia; the Orient

  • 極東きょくとう

    Far East

  • 東欧とうおう
    N3

    Eastern Europe

  • 東邦とうほう

    Oriental country; the Orient

  • 東経とうけい

    east longitude

  • 広東カントン

    Guangdong (China); Kwangtung

  • 東南とうなん

    south-east

  • 東宮とうぐう

    crown prince

  • 東都とうと

    the Eastern Capital (now Tokyo); Yedo; Edo

  • 東京証券取引所とうきょうしょうけんとりひきじょ

    Tokyo Stock Exchange; TSE

Explore all words using 東 →

Study

Etymology

東 is a pictograph of the sun rising behind a tree, representing the direction east where the sun rises.

Meaning mnemonic

The top horizontal stroke represents the horizon, with the sun 日 rising behind a tree 木: the sun rises in the east, so 東 means east.

Reading mnemonic

For トウ, imagine the sun rising in the east over Tokyo (とうきょう): Tokyo -> トウ, and the sun rises in the east.