How do “east” and “west” combine to mean “thing”? The most widely accepted origin story dates back to the Tang Dynasty. The two largest markets in the capital city, Chang'an, were the East Market (东市) and the West Market (西市). People would go “to the east and west” to conduct commerce. Over time, the phrase “to buy east-west” (买东西, mǎi dōngxi) became synonymous with “to buy things,” and eventually, 东西 on its own became the word for “things” or “stuff.”
The evolution of 东西 (dōngxi) from geographical directions to a common noun for “object” is a beautiful example of how practical, everyday life shapes language. It’s a linguistic fossil that tells a story about ancient Chinese commerce and city life. The term's secondary, insulting meaning offers a fascinating cultural insight. To call someone a “thing” (东西) is to dehumanize them. It strips them of their identity, personality, and worth. This is a universal concept, but the specific use of 东西 is unique to Chinese. It's comparable to dismissively calling someone “it” in English, or using phrases like “you little thing” or “a piece of work.” It's not a strong curse word, but it's unambiguously contemptuous. The negative form, 不是东西 (bú shì dōngxi), literally “not a thing,” is a much stronger insult, implying someone is so despicable they don't even qualify as an object—they are beneath contempt.