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我们wǒ men知道zhī dào“东dōng”和hé“西xī”都dōu是shì表示biǎo shì方位fāng wèi的de词cí,东边dōng bian和hé西边xī biān。

但是dàn shì为什么wèi shén me我们wǒ men会huì说shuō“买mǎi东dōng西xī”而ér不是bù shì“买mǎi南nán北běi”呢ne?

有yǒu一yī种zhǒng说法shuō fa是shì中国Zhōng guó古代gǔ dài的de五行wǔ xíng学说xué shuō,金jīn木mù水shuǐ火huǒ土tǔ和hé东dōng西xī南nán北běi中zhōng相xiāng对应duì yìng。

东方dōng fāng属shǔ木mù,代表dài biǎo一切yī qiè植物zhí wù;

西方Xī fāng属shǔ金jīn,代表dài biǎo一切yī qiè金jīn银yín铜tóng铁tiě等děng矿物kuàng wù;

南方nán fāng属shǔ火huǒ,北方běi fāng属shǔ水shuǐ,中方Zhōng fāng属shǔ土tǔ。

而ér篮子lán zi可以kě yǐ装zhuāng金jīn木mù类lèi物体wù tǐ,不bù能néng装zhuāng水shuǐ火huǒ类lèi物体wù tǐ。

所以suǒ yǐ我们wǒ men会huì说shuō“买mǎi东dōng西xī”,而ér不是bù shì“买mǎi南nán北běi”。

另lìng一yī种zhǒng说法shuō fa,东汉Dōng hàn时期shí qī有yǒu两liǎng个gè首都shǒu dū,东dōng都dū洛阳Luò yáng和hé西xī都dū长安Cháng ān。

商人shāng rén们men大dà部分bù fen都dōu集中jí zhōng在zài这zhè两liǎng个gè大dà都市dū shì。

“买mǎi东dōng”就jiù是shì去qù东dōng都dū洛阳Luò yáng购物gòu wù,“买mǎi西xī”就jiù是shì到dào西xī都dū长安Cháng ān购物gòu wù,后来hòu lái我们wǒ men就jiù用yòng“东西dōng xi”称呼chēng hu货物huò wù,就jiù有yǒu了le现在xiàn zài通用tōng yòng的de“买mǎi东西dōng xi”。

还有hái yǒu一yī种zhǒng很hěn流行liú xíng的de说法shuō fa。

唐朝Táng cháo时期shí qī,中国Zhōng guó是shì世界shì jiè上shàng最zuì强盛qiáng shèng的de国家guó jiā,当时dāng shí的de首都shǒu dū长安Cháng ān是shì最zuì大dà最zuì繁荣fán róng的de国际guó jì大dà都市dū shì,世界shì jiè各gè地dì的de商人shāng rén都dōu来lái长安Cháng ān做zuò生意shēng yi。

长安Cháng ān城chéng有yǒu六liù条tiáo大道dà dào,十二shí èr座zuò城门chéng mén,中轴zhōng zhóu线xiàn是shì朱雀Zhū què大街dà jiē。

这zhè条tiáo大街dà jiē把bǎ长安Cháng ān城chéng分成fēn chéng了le东dōng西xī对称duì chèn的de两liǎng部分bù fen。

东部dōng bù和hé西部xī bù各gè有yǒu一yī个gè商业shāng yè区qū,被bèi称chēng为wéi东市dōng shì和hé西市xī shì。

其中qí zhōng,东市dōng shì有yǒu很多hěn duō奢侈品shē chǐ pǐn售卖shòu mài,西市xī shì则zé主要zhǔ yào售卖shòu mài世界shì jiè各gè地dì各种各样gè zhǒng gè yàng的de日用品rì yòng pǐn。

所有suǒ yǒu想xiǎng买mǎi的de货品huò pǐn都dōu能néng从cóng东市dōng shì和hé西市xī shì买mǎi到dào,慢慢màn màn就jiù有yǒu了le“买mǎi东西dōng xi”这zhè种zhǒng说法shuō fa。

除了chú le以上yǐ shàng这zhè三sān种zhǒng,你nǐ还hái知道zhī dào哪些nǎ xiē有趣yǒu qù的de说法shuō fa?

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

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Vocabulary 149 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
我们 wǒ menwe; us; ourselves; our
知道 zhī dàoto know; to become aware of
东 dōngeast / host / landlord
和 héand; together with
西 xīwest
都 dōuall; both; entirely
是 shìto be (followed by substantives only)
表示 biǎo shì(of sb) to express; to state; to show / (of sth) to indicate; to signify; to show
方位 fāng wèidirection / points of the compass / bearing / position / azimuth
的 depossessive particle (of; 's) / modifying particle (used after an attribute to modify a noun or to form a nominal expression)
词 cíword
东边 dōng bianeast / east side / eastern part
西边 xī biānwest / west side / western part
但是 dàn shìbut; however
为什么 wèi shén mewhy? / for what reason?
会 huìto be likely to; to be sure to
说 shuōto speak; to talk; to say
买 mǎito buy / to purchase
而 érbut (not) / yet (not) / (indicates contrast)
不是 bù shìno / not
南 nánsouth
北 běinorth
呢 ne(sentence-final particle) used in questions to link back to prior discourse or context ("what about...?", "and...?")
有 yǒuto have; there is
一 yīone / single / a (article)
种 zhǒngclassifier for types, kinds, sorts
说法 shuō faway of speaking / wording / formulation / one's version (of events) / statement / theory / hypothesis / interpretation
中国 Zhōng guóChina
古代 gǔ dàiancient times
五行 wǔ xíngfive phases of Chinese philosophy: wood 木, fire 火, earth 土, metal 金, water 水
学说 xué shuōtheory / doctrine
金 jīngold / chemical element Au / generic term for lustrous and ductile metals / money
木 mù(bound form) tree / (bound form) wood
水 shuǐwater / (after a name) ... River / (bound form) additional cost; extra income
火 huǒfire / ammunition / internal heat (Chinese medicine) / Kangxi radical 86
土 tǔearth / dust / clay / crude opium
中 zhōngmiddle; center
相 xiāngeach other / one another / mutually
对应 duì yìngto correspond (to); to be equivalent to; to be a counterpart to
东方 dōng fāngeast
属 shǔto belong to / to be / to prove to be / to constitute
代表 dài biǎoto represent / to stand for
一切 yī qièevery / all
植物 zhí wùplant / vegetation
西方 Xī fāngthe West / the Occident / Western countries
银 yínsilver
铜 tóngcopper (chemistry)
铁 tiěiron (metal) / arms / weapons
等 děngand so on; etc.; et al. / (used to end an enumeration)
矿物 kuàng wùmineral
南方 nán fāngsouth; southern direction / (in China) southern regions, often referring to areas south of the Yangtze River
北方 běi fāngnorth / the northern part a country / China north of the Yellow River
中方 Zhōng fāngthe Chinese side (in an international venture)
篮子 lán zibasket
可以 kě yǐcan / may / possible / able to
装 zhuāngto adorn / to play a role / to pretend / to install / to fix / to wrap (sth in a bag) / to load / to pack
类 lèikind; type; class; category / (classifier) kind; type
物体 wù tǐobject; body; substance
不 bùno; not so
能 néngcan / to be able to / might possibly
所以 suǒ yǐtherefore / as a result / so
另 lìngother / another / separate
东汉 Dōng hànEastern or later Han dynasty, 25-220
时期 shí qīperiod / phase
两 liǎngtwo / both / some / a few
个 gèclassifier for people or objects in general
首都 shǒu dūcapital (city)
洛阳 Luò yángLuoyang, a city in Henan; historically an important Chinese capital, especially the Eastern Han’s eastern capital.
长安 Cháng ānChang'an (ancient name of Xi'an), capital of several Chinese dynasties from 202 BC to 907 CE
商人 shāng rénmerchant / businessman
们 menplural marker for pronouns, and nouns referring to individuals
大 dàbig; large; great / older (than another person) / eldest
部分 bù fenpart; portion; piece
集中 jí zhōngto concentrate / to centralize / to focus / to put together
在 zài(of sb or sth) to be (located) at
这 zhèthis; these
都市 dū shìcity; metropolis
就 jiùmerely; nothing else but; simply; just; precisely; exactly
去 qùto go, to go to
购物 gòu wùshopping
到 dàoto leave for; to go to
后来 hòu láiafterwards; later
用 yòngto use; to make use of; to employ / (coverb) with; using
东西 dōng xithing / stuff / person
称呼 chēng huto call; to address as
货物 huò wùgoods / commodity / merchandise
了 le(completed action marker) / (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now)
现在 xiàn zàinow; at present; currently
通用 tōng yòngto use anywhere, anytime / to be used by everyone
还有 hái yǒuin addition
很 hěnvery; quite
流行 liú xíng(of a style of clothing, song etc) popular / fashionable
唐朝 Táng cháoTang dynasty (618-907)
世界 shì jièworld
上 shàng(noun suffix) on; above
最 zuì(before an adjective or verb) to the highest degree; (the) most ...; -est
强盛 qiáng shèngrich and powerful
国家 guó jiācountry; nation; state
当时 dāng shíthen; at that time
繁荣 fán róngprosperous; booming
国际 guó jìinternational
各 gèeach / every
地 dìearth / ground / field / place / land
来 láito come
做 zuòto do; to engage in; to hold (a party etc)
生意 shēng yibusiness
城 chéngcity walls / city / town
六 liùsix / 6
条 tiáoclassifier for long thin things
大道 dà dàomain street / avenue
十二 shí èrtwelve / 12
座 zuòclassifier for large immovable objects
城门 chéng méncity gate
中轴 zhōng zhóuaxis / (bicycle) bottom bracket
线 xiànthread / string / wire / line / (after a number) tier (unofficial ranking of a Chinese city)
朱雀 Zhū què(ancient Chinese astronomy) Zhuque, the Vermilion Bird (the southern quadrant of the sky) / (Daoism) the guardian deity of the south
大街 dà jiēstreet / main street
把 bǎ(used to put the object before the verb: 把[ba3] + {noun} + {verb})
分成 fēn chéngto divide (into) / to split a bonus / to break into
对称 duì chènsymmetrical
东部 dōng bùthe east / eastern part
西部 xī bùwestern part
商业 shāng yèbusiness / trade / commerce
区 qūarea / region / district
被 bèiused to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, if the doer is not mentioned, before the verb) / (sarcastic or jocular) used to indicate that the following word should be regarded as being in air quotes
称 chēngto name
为 wéias (in the capacity of)
东市 dōng shìthe east market; the eastern commercial district
西市 xī shìthe west market; a commercial district on the west side
其中 qí zhōngamong / in / included among these
很多 hěn duōmany; a lot of
奢侈品 shē chǐ pǐnluxury good
售卖 shòu màito sell
则 zé(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then
主要 zhǔ yàomain; principal; major; primary
各种各样 gè zhǒng gè yàngvarious kinds / all sorts
日用品 rì yòng pǐnarticles for daily use
所有 suǒ yǒuall
想 xiǎngto desire; to want (to)
货品 huò pǐngoods
从 cóngfrom; through; via / (bound form) retainer; attendant / (bound form) assistant; auxiliary; subordinate / (bound form) related by common paternal grandfather or earlier ancestor
慢慢 màn mànslowly; gradually
除了 chú leapart from; besides; in addition to
以上 yǐ shàngthe above-mentioned
三 sānthree / 3
你 nǐyou
还 háiin addition, also, else, even
哪些 nǎ xiēwhich ones? / who? / what?
有趣 yǒu qùinteresting; fascinating; amusing