【Elementary Chinese】East, South, West and North Yajie: In oral Chinese we usually say “东边”。“边”means side. Bian is said in the neutral tone. In common speech, some syllables are pronounced both light and short. Such a tone is called the neutral tone. So it’s “东边”, meaning the eastern side or the eastern direction, dōngbian. Yajie: It’s 在东边。For example, you can say:。Japan is to the east of China. 日本在中国的东边 Cam:东, the first tone. Yajie: west? Cam:西 Yajie: South? Cam: 南 Yajie: And north? Cam:北 Yajie: