The kanji 東 primarily represents "east". It signifies the direction where the sun rises, symbolizing the beginning, origin, and the orient. It often carries connotations of new beginnings, growth, and the source of light and life.

・On-yomi (音読み): トウ (tō) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): ひがし (higashi)

⚫︎ 東京（とうきょう） Translation: Tokyo (literally, "Eastern Capital") ⚫︎ 東口（ひがしぐち） Translation: East Exit ⚫︎ 東方（とうほう） Translation: Eastward, the East (direction)

The kanji 東 is a pictograph. It depicts the sun 日（ひ – hi) rising behind a tree 木（き – ki). The sun is shown in a simplified form and the tree symbolizes the land or the horizon. This combined image conveys the idea of the "east", the direction where the sun emerges. Over time, the form of the kanji has evolved, but the core visual representation of the sun rising from behind the horizon remains.