eastern

Compared meaning: facing or located toward the east (adjective).

比较义项：朝东的，位于东方的（形容词）。

• east

  Occurs mainly inside a small set of fixed compound nouns (east wing, east coast, east side); rarely combines freely with other nouns to express direction or facing.

  east主要出现在少数固定合成词中（如east wing东翼、east coast东海岸、east side东侧），很少能自由地与其他名词搭配来表达方向或朝向。

  The east wing of the museum houses ancient pottery.

  博物馆的东翼陈列着古代陶器。

• eastern 本词

  The regular, productive adjective meaning facing east; combines freely with almost any noun (eastern sky, eastern horizon, eastern border) and is the more natural everyday choice.

  eastern是表示“朝东的”的常规、能产性形容词，几乎可以自由地与任何名词搭配（如eastern sky东方的天空、eastern horizon东方的地平线、eastern border东部边界），也是日常更自然的选择。

  The eastern sky turned pink just before sunrise.

  日出前，东方的天空变成了粉红色。

East and eastern both mean facing or located toward the east. East appears mainly in fixed phrases, like east wing; it rarely combines freely with other nouns. Eastern is the regular adjective, combining freely with almost any noun, like eastern sky.

east和eastern在“朝东的”这一意义上很接近，但east多见于east wing（东翼）、east coast（东海岸）等少数固定搭配，较少自由地与其他名词组合；eastern则是能产性更强、可自由搭配的常规形容词，日常使用更自然。east还常作名词表示“东方”，此处不比较该用法。