东西 (dōngxi) — Thing in Mandarin
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#251 most common word
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
东西 is pronounced dōngxi. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Zhè shì shénme dōngxi?
What is this thing?
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 东西 mean?+
东西 (dōngxi) means "Thing" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 东西?+
东西 is pronounced dōngxi. It uses the tone 1 (high flat). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 东西 in Mandarin?+
东西 is the #251 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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