Meaning
東 means east — the direction of the rising sun and one of the four cardinal points of the compass. Japanese students encounter it almost immediately: it appears in place names, train station signs, and everyday vocabulary from day one.
The character's origin is pictographic. Traditional etymology traces 東 to the image of the sun (日) rising behind a tree (木). Picture the sun climbing above a tree at dawn — that scene is encoded directly in the shape. The vertical stroke is the trunk, the crossing strokes are branches, and the rounded element is the sun pushing through. Once you read kanji this way, the logic sticks.
Eight strokes, Grade 2 of Japanese elementary school. The radical is 木 (tree), which fits the sunrise origin perfectly. You'll spot 東 on station signs and city names from your very first week of study.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
トウ is the on'yomi, drawn from ancient Chinese pronunciation. It appears whenever 東 forms part of a compound word — which is most of the time. Expect to hear it in geography, compass directions, and formal speech.
- 東京 (Tōkyō) — Tokyo, literally "Eastern Capital"; one of the most recognizable place names in the world
- 東洋 (Tōyō) — the Eastern world, Asia; often contrasted with 西洋 (Seiyō, the Western world)
- 東西 (Tōzai) — east and west; also a traditional exclamation meaning "ladies and gentlemen!"
- 東部 (Tōbu) — the eastern part of a region or country
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
ひがし is the kun'yomi — the native Japanese word for "east." Used when the kanji stands alone or in certain place-name compounds, it has a casual, everyday feel. It's what you say when giving directions, noting where the sun rises, or describing which side of a building catches the morning light.
- 東 (higashi) — east; used alone to point a direction
- 東口 (higashiguchi) — east exit; found on almost every station sign in Japan
- 東風 (higashikaze) — east wind; carries a poetic quality in Japanese literature
Common Words & Compounds
東 pairs easily with other kanji, forming dozens of useful words. Here are the most important ones, grouped by theme:
Places & Geography
- 東京 (Tōkyō) — Tokyo, Japan's capital
- 東北 (Tōhoku) — the Tōhoku region (northeastern Japan); also means "northeast"
- 東南 (Tōnan) — southeast; 東 (east) + 南 (south)
- 東海 (Tōkai) — the Tōkai region of central Japan; also "eastern sea"
- 東口 (higashiguchi) — east exit of a station
Directions & Compass Points
- 東西南北 (tōzainanboku) — all four compass directions: east, west, south, north
- 東側 (higashigawa) — the east side
- 東向き (higashimuki) — facing east
Culture & Concepts
- 東洋 (Tōyō) — the East, Asia
- 東洋人 (tōyōjin) — an East Asian person
- 東方 (tōhō) — the eastern direction; a literary or formal term for "the East"
Example Sentences
東京は日本の首都です。
Tōkyō wa Nihon no shuto desu.
Tokyo is the capital of Japan.
東の空が明るくなってきました。
Higashi no sora ga akarukunatte kimashita.
The eastern sky has begun to brighten.
駅の東口で会いましょう。
Eki no higashiguchi de aimashō.
Let's meet at the east exit of the station.
太陽は東から昇ります。
Taiyō wa higashi kara noborimasu.
The sun rises from the east.
この部屋は東向きなので、朝は明るいです。
Kono heya wa higashimuki nanode, asa wa akarui desu.
This room faces east, so it's bright in the morning.
東北には美しい自然がたくさんあります。
Tōhoku ni wa utsukushii shizen ga takusan arimasu.
The Tōhoku region has a lot of stunning natural scenery.
東西の文化を比べるのはおもしろいです。
Tōzai no bunka wo kuraberu no wa omoshiroi desu.
Comparing Eastern and Western cultures is fascinating.
学校は駅の東側にあります。
Gakkō wa eki no higashigawa ni arimasu.
The school is on the east side of the station.
東洋の哲学はとても深いです。
Tōyō no tetsugaku wa totemo fukai desu.
Eastern philosophy runs very deep.
Related Kanji
- 南 — South (Kanji N5)
- 会 — Meet, Meeting, Association (Kanji N5)
- 川 — River (Kanji N5)
- 気 — Spirit, Energy, Air (Kanji N5)
- 百 — Hundred (Kanji N5)
- 人 — Person (Kanji N5)
Memory Tip
Picture dawn: you're in a forest, the sky still dark, the sun rising behind a tall tree. Warm light creeps up the trunk and spills through the branches — and that is exactly what 東 depicts. The vertical line is the trunk, the crossing strokes are branches, the rounded shapes are the sun. When you see 東, think: "Sun behind a tree = East = where the day begins." This isn't a mnemonic invented after the fact — it's the character's actual origin.