Chinese character for west: 西 (xī)
The Chinese character for west is 西 (xī). It means west and appears in 西方 (xīfāng, the West) and 西瓜 (xīguā, watermelon). The sun sets in the west.
How 西 is built
西 is a pictograph usually explained as a bird settling into its nest. Birds return to their nests when the sun goes down in the west, so the picture was borrowed for west. As a memory aid, see a nest with a bird inside at sunset. 西 also appears as a component at the top of 要 (want) and 票 (ticket), where it has a different origin. It is identical in both scripts.
西 xī · west
- 兀wù — weak
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 儿ér — child
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 乚 — hook stroke
- 囗wéi — enclosure
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 冂 — frame
Origin hint: A bird settling into its nest, representing sunset; compare 東 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
How 西 is used
Before you use it as a tattoo or design: 西 is identical in both scripts; it often refers to 'the West' as a culture, which readers may assume.
Questions
What is the Chinese character for west?
西 (xī) means “west”.
How do you pronounce 西?
西 is pronounced xī.