Last updated July 7, 2009

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Directions

Time - 下

up	上	soeng5/6 (seung)	down	下	haa5/6
left	左	zo2 (jaw)	right	右	jau6 (yow)
front	前	cin4 (cheen)	back	後	hau6 (how)
downhill	下山	haa5 saan1 (ha saan)	uphill	上山	soeng5 saan1 (seung sarn)
middle	中	zung1/3 (joong)	face right	向右	hoeng3 jau6 (herng yow)

East	東	dung1 (doong)	South	南	naam4 (larm)
West	西	sai1 (sy)	North	北	bak1 (buk)
Southeast	東南	dung1 naam4 (doong larm)	Northwest	西北	sai1 bak1 (sy buk)
Southwest	西南	sai1 naam4 (sy larm)	Northeast	東北	dung1 bak1 (doong buk)
facing east	向東	hoeng3 dung1 (herng doong)

Cultural Note

Chinese people say "East, South, West, North" whereas Western people start from the North (English children learn "Never Eat Shredded Wheat" to remember!) Could this be because China in in the East? To be honest I haven't got a clue...

Regardless, any player of Mah Jong will recognise 東南西北 as being the "Winds" and 中 as a red "dragon"

Character Analysis

東西 = something (I have no idea why)

前 and 後 are commonly used to denote events happening in the past and in the future.
前日 = the day before yesterday; 後日= the day after tomorrow; 後生仔 = oral for teenager (lit. later in life child?)