How to say "east" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 東ひがしnounThe usual word for the direction east: the sun rising in the east, a town to the east, facing east. For 'east' as a standalone word in a sentence, this is what you want.
- 東とうprefixThe Sino-Japanese reading of the same character, glossed 'eastern; east'. It is heard chiefly inside compound words rather than on its own; to name the direction by itself, ひがし is the reading to use.
- nounA direct borrowing of English 'east'. It is uncommon, and for the compass direction it is seldom the word you want; in ordinary contexts say ひがし instead.
For the direction 'east' in ordinary sentences use 東（ひがし）; 東（とう）is the Sino-Japanese reading heard mainly within compounds, and the loanword 「イースト」 is uncommon and rarely the word you need.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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