东西dōng xithing; stuff; person

1. 1.

   thing; stuff; personnoun

• 东not compositional here
• 西not compositional here

东西 is the casual word for a thing or stuff; use 事 for a matter or affair you deal with, not a physical object.

1. HSK 1

   这是什么东西？

   Zhè shì shénme dōngxi?

   What is this thing?

2. HSK 1

   我去买东西。

   Wǒ qù mǎi dōngxi.

   I'm going shopping. / I'm going to buy things.

3. HSK 1

   那个东西很好。

   Nàge dōngxi hěn hǎo.

   That thing is very good.

4. HSK 3

   不要拿别人的东西。

   Bùyào ná biérén de dōngxi.

   Don't take other people's things.

东西 is a physical thing or stuff. 事 is a matter, affair, or something that happens. Ask 这是什么东西？ for an object; say 有事 for having something to deal with, not 有东西 in that sense.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   这是什么东西？

   Zhè shì shénme dōngxi?

   What is this thing?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   这是我买的东西。

   Zhè shì wǒ mǎi de dōngxi.

   This is something I bought.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   你现在去买东西吗？

   Nǐ xiànzài qù mǎi dōngxi ma?

   Are you going shopping now?

4. 
   Speaker B:

   对，我去买东西。

   Duì, wǒ qù mǎi dōngxi.

   Yes, I'm going to buy things.

5. 
   Speaker A:

   那个东西好吗？

   Nàge dōngxi hǎo ma?

   Is that thing good?

6. 
   Speaker B:

   很好。

   Hěn hǎo.

   Very good.

1. 1.Fill in the blank: 这是什么___？

   A东西B东事C西事
2. 2.Which means "I'm going shopping"?

   A我去买东西。B我去买事。C我去出东西。
3. 3.For a physical object, which word fits better?

   A事B东西C应该

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Related words

• 事shìmatter; thing; item; work; affairHSK 1
• 有yǒuto have; there isHSK 1
• 看kànto see; to look atHSK 1
• 给gěito giveHSK 1
• 要yàoto want; to need; to ask forHSK 1
• 没有méi yǒuhaven't; hasn't; doesn't exist; to not have; to not beHSK 1

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