西南
HSK 3 (exam 2025)HSK 2 (2021)
西南 (xīnán) · southwest
西南 (xīnán) means “southwest”. It is written with 2 characters: 西 (west) + 南 (south). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 西南 is built
The characters
西 xī · west
What 西 is made of
- 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)
南 nán · south
What 南 is made of
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 丷ha — kwukyel
- 丶 — dot
- 干gàn — dry (gān)
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
Origin hint: A musical bell (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
西南有很多山。Xīnán yǒu hěn duō shān.There are many mountains in the southwest.
他去西南旅游了。Tā qù xīnán lǚyóu le.He went traveling in the southwest.
Questions about 西南
What does 西南 mean?
西南 (xīnán) means “southwest”.
How do you pronounce 西南?
西南 is pronounced xīnán.
Which HSK level is 西南?
西南 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021).
Related words
- 东西dōngxithing
- 西边xībiānwest side
- 西北xīběinorthwest
- 西餐xīcānWestern food
- 西方xīfāngthe West
- 西医xīyīWestern medicine
- 西部xībùthe west
- 西瓜xīguāwatermelon
- 西红柿xīhóngshìtomato
- 东张西望dōngzhāngxīwàngto look around
Learn 西南 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 38: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.