東とう西ざい

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

east and west; east-west

Literal directional meaning; used in compounds like 東西南北 (the four cardinal directions) or to describe east-west orientation.

• この道どう路ろは東とう西ざいに走はしっている。

  This road runs east-west.

• 東とう西ざい南なん北ぼくの区く別べつがつかない。

  I can't tell east, west, north, and south apart.

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

East and West; Orient and Occident

Refers to the Eastern and Western worlds, often in cultural, historical, or geopolitical contexts.

• 東とう西ざいの文ぶん化か交こう流りゅうは古ふるくから行おこなわれてきた。

  Cultural exchange between East and West has been going on since ancient times.

• 東とう西ざい冷れい戦せんは長ながく続つづいた。

  The East-West Cold War lasted a long time.

interjection

ladies and gentlemen!; your attention, please!

Only with reading とうざい

Abbreviation of 東西東西, a traditional street vendor's call to gather a crowd. Now mostly historical or used in period pieces; not used in modern everyday speech.

See also: 東西東西

• 「東とう西ざい、東とう西ざい」と声こえを張はり上あげて客きゃくを集あつめた。

  He shouted 'Ladies and gentlemen, gather round!' to attract customers.