west
west — noun
1. The direction where day ends, the opposite of east; also the side of a country o
The direction where day ends, the opposite of east; also the side of a country or area found there.
The sun goes down in the west each evening, making the sky turn orange.
the west as direction of sunset
Hyun's house sits on the west side of the lake with mountain views.
The wind usually comes from the west, making the east hillside safer.
Tamás took a photo of the sunset in the west from the beach.
Many birds fly to the west when the cold weather begins.
- western part
used when describing a section of a country or region rather than the abstract direction
- east
the opposite compass direction
用法筆記
Use 'the west' when talking about a specific part of a place ('the west of Ireland'). Use 'west' without 'the' when giving a general direction ('from the east to the west').
常見錯誤
2. A political and economic grouping that includes the United States, Canada, and t
A political and economic grouping that includes the United States, Canada, and the nations of western Europe, all sharing similar democratic values.
Trade between the West and East Asia has grown rapidly since the 1990s.
the West as geopolitical region
Rachid studied the history of the West at a university in Istanbul.
Many films from the West are popular in cinemas across Southeast Asia.
The West has sent aid to countries affected by the recent earthquake.
Noor secured research funding from universities in the West for her solar energy project in Cairo.
- Western world
broader term that includes cultural aspects beyond politics
- the Occident
very formal or literary; rare in everyday speech
- the East
geopolitical counterpart, especially Asia
- the Global South
alternative grouping based on economic development rather than geography
用法筆記
Always capitalized ('the West') when referring to this geopolitical group. Distinguish from noun sense 1 (compass direction), which is usually lowercase.
常見錯誤
3. The territory in the United States that lies beyond the Mississippi, where settl
The territory in the United States that lies beyond the Mississippi, where settlers established new communities during the 1800s.
Gold was discovered in the American West in the middle of the 1800s.
the West as historical US region
Rodrigo dreams of visiting the Wild West and seeing the old cowboy towns.
The West was connected to the eastern states by a new railroad in 1869.
Pioneer families traveled to the West in covered wagons seeking new land.
Films about the American West made cowboy culture famous around the world.
- the Wild West
informal; focuses on the lawless, adventurous character of the frontier era
- the frontier
broader historical term for the edge of settled territory
用法筆記
Always capitalized ('the West') when referring to this historical American region. Often called 'the Wild West' in popular culture.
常見錯誤
4. Heading toward or located within the western United States, especially in the te
Heading toward or located within the western United States, especially in the territory beyond the Mississippi.
My cousin moved out West after college and now lives near Portland.
out West as a fixed phrase
Maeve's family drove out West every summer to visit her grandparents.
Christopher has always wanted to live out West where the mountains meet the sea.
Rohan and Sumin plan to ride their motorcycles out West next spring.
- out west
same phrase, lowercase; can refer to any western area, not just the US
用法筆記
Used as a fixed adverbial phrase. Only capitalized when used as a proper name for the western US region. In other contexts ('out west of here'), no capital is needed.
west — adjective
1. Found on or making up the western side of a place such as a country, building, o
Found on or making up the western side of a place such as a country, building, or area.
The west coast of Taiwan has many beaches and busy fishing harbors.
west + noun describing location
Élise lives on the west side of the park in a small apartment.
The west entrance of the school is locked after four o'clock.
Farmers in the west region grow rice and vegetables for local markets.
The west wing of the museum was rebuilt after the earthquake.
- western
more common for regions ('western Europe'); 'west' is preferred for specific features ('west coast', 'west side')
- east
the opposite side's adjective
用法筆記
Always used before a noun (attributive). Do not use after 'be' — say 'the building is on the west side', not 'the building is west'.
常見錯誤
2. Blowing from the west — used to describe a wind.
Blowing from the west — used to describe a wind.
A west wind brought cool air from the sea into the crowded city.
west wind from direction of origin
Sailors prefer a west wind when they head east across the channel.
The west wind carried the smell of fresh rain across the dry fields.
Farmers welcomed the west wind because it meant the storms were gone.
- westerly
more technical; often used in weather forecasts ('westerly winds')
- east wind
wind blowing from the east
用法筆記
Only used before 'wind' or similar weather nouns. Does NOT describe the origin of other things moving from the west — use 'westward' or 'from the west' for that.
west — adverb
1. Moving, looking, or traveling toward the west.
Moving, looking, or traveling toward the west.
The hikers walked west for three days before reaching the coast.
Christopher looked west and saw dark clouds gathering on the horizon.
The ducks flew west every autumn to find warmer lakes and rivers.
If you go west from the station, you will find the main market square.
The train travels west each morning and returns east every evening.
- westward
slightly more formal; often used in written directions ('traveling westward')
- east
in the opposite direction
文法句型
verb + west
用法筆記
Commonly used after verbs of motion (go, travel, walk, fly, head). For static location, use the noun form with a preposition ('in the west', 'to the west').