Dongfang
/ˈdʊŋ.fɑːŋ/noun
A Mandarin Chinese term and surname meaning “east” or “eastern direction,” also used in Chinese place names and personal names.
Did you know?In traditional Chinese cosmology, the east is associated with sunrise, spring, the Azure Dragon, and the Wood element—symbols of growth and new beginnings.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese, c. 1200–200 BCE
Old Chinese
東方
“The eastern direction; east”
Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese
東方
“East, the eastern region, or the eastern quarter”
Middle Chinese, c. 600 CE
Middle Chinese
tung-pjang
“Eastward; the east”
Modern Mandarin
Mandarin
dōngfāng
“East; eastern direction”
Modern English usage
English
Dongfang
“A romanized Chinese surname, place-name element, or personal name meaning “east””