east; eastern area
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- 1 east; eastern area、eastern、the East; the Eastern world
Refers to the east—the direction of sunrise—and by extension to eastern areas or, in cultural contexts, the East.
east; eastern area、eastern、the East; the Eastern world
Means the east as a direction or area. After another noun, it can describe something as eastern, and in cultural contexts it can refer to the East.
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ทิศตะวันออก thít tàwan ɔ̀ɔk the east; the eastern direction ทิศตะวันออก details
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ภาคตะวันออกของประเทศไทย phâak tàwan ɔ̀ɔk khɔ̌ɔŋ prathêet thay eastern Thailand ภาคตะวันออกของประเทศไทย details
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วัฒนธรรมตะวันออก wátthanátham tàwan ɔ̀ɔk Eastern culture วัฒนธรรมตะวันออก details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core image of ตะวันออก is “the direction where the sun comes out.” ตะวัน means “sun,” and ออก means “come out.” It can stand alone as a noun meaning “east.” Because Thai modifiers generally follow nouns, it also appears after a noun with the sense “eastern,” as in ชายฝั่งตะวันออก (“east coast”). These uses are best understood as extensions of the same basic idea of east. In discussions of culture, history, or philosophy, it can also mean “the East” or “the Eastern world,” in contrast with the West. It is a neutral, standard word.
Usage
It is widely used for directions, the orientation of buildings, geography, regional divisions, travel, and weather reports. In discussions of culture, thought, or history, it may also refer to the East or the Eastern world.
Caution
When used by itself, it normally means the direction east. The broader meaning “the East” arises mainly in clear cultural, historical, or social contexts. Its opposite is ตะวันตก, meaning “west” or, contextually, “the West.”
Differences from similar words
1 east; eastern area synonyms
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ทิศตะวันออก explicitly means “the eastern direction,” with ทิศ meaning “direction.” ตะวันออก can stand alone for “east” and is also used more broadly in region names and after nouns to mean “eastern.”