東

Core senses: East, eastern, eastward. In the context of the Five Elements (五行), it is associated with Wood (木), Spring (春), and the color blue/green (靑); "Eastern Wind" (東風) is a common poetic shorthand for spring.

Functions as a noun (the cardinal point), a modifier denoting origin or location, a directional adverb when paired with verbs of motion, or a marker of orientation.

Tang-period reading *dung; Fanqie 德紅. U+4E1C is an orthographic variant with no semantic distinction from 東.

The composition (sun 日 over tree 木) links the direction to the sunrise, which in early texts often carries subtextual associations with dawn, beginnings, or renewal.

"East" is frequently relative to the center of power (the capital or court) rather than an absolute compass coordinate.