Definition
关西 is a place word referring either to the region west of Hangu Pass (函谷关) in ancient China — a key historical area during the Qin and Han dynasties — or to the Kansai region of Japan (the same characters in Japanese). In modern Chinese, the Japanese sense is more common in travel and cultural contexts, but the historical Chinese sense appears in classical texts and history discussions.
p.w.
Kansai (region in Japan, including Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, etc.)the region west of Hangu Pass (historical China)
Examples
- 关西，。Míngnián wǒ dǎsuàn qù Guān xī lǚyóu, kànkan Dàbǎn hé Jīngdū.Next year I plan to travel to Kansai and visit Osaka and Kyoto.
- ，关西。Zài Qín cháo, Guān xī shì zhòngyào de zhèngzhì hé jūnshì zhōngxīn.During the Qin dynasty, the region west of Hangu Pass was an important political and military center.
- 关西。Guān xī de fāngyán hé Dōngjīng huà hěn bù yíyàng.The Kansai dialect is very different from Tokyo speech.
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