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東南 (とうなん, tounan) Japanese meaning: southeast | Kotomora

東とう南なん

also: ひがしみなみ

と

う

な

ん

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

Refers to the direction southeast, or the southeastern part of a region.

風かぜは東とう南なんから吹ふいている。

The wind is blowing from the southeast.

東とう南なんアジアは多た様ような文ぶん化かがある。

Southeast Asia has diverse cultures.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉の東とう南なんに位い置ちするto be located to the southeast of 〈place〉
その島しまは本ほん州しゅうの東とう南なんに位い置ちしている。
The island is located to the southeast of Honshu.
東とう南なんの風かぜa wind from the southeast
今日きょうは東とう南なんの風かぜが強つよく吹ふいている。
A strong southeast wind is blowing today.

Kanji

東east
南south

Related words

南なん東とうN1
南東 and 東南 both mean 'southeast', but 東南 is preferred in set terms like 東南アジア while 南東 is more common in everyday directional descriptions.

Opposites

北ほく西せいN1
北西 (northwest) is the direct compass opposite of 東南 (southeast).

Word family

東とう南なんアジアN3
Southeast Asia
東とう南なん東とう
east-southeast; ESE

Written forms

東南Usage100%
- とうなん
  Standard kanji spelling; the reading とうなん is the most common.
- ひがしみなみ
  Alternate reading, rarely used in modern Japanese.
ひがしみなみ

Etymology

Compound of 東 (east) and 南 (south).