“东西南北”本来都是表示方位的词语,为何后来“东西”又被当作物品的意思呢?有一则小故事说“东西”代指物品,与宋朝大学问家朱熹有关。有一天朱熹在路上碰到精通五行学说的好友盛温和提着篮子,于是问道:“你去干什么啊?”盛温和答:“去街口买东西。”朱熹愣在当场,原来当时还没有“东西”一词。他不解地问:“买‘东西’?这是什么意思?为何不买‘南北’?”盛温和笑着说:“真不明白?你这位大学问 ”East and West, North and South “ have always been the words that position, why later ”something “ is also used as the meaning of the goods? There is a small story that ”things“ on behalf of the items, and the Song Dynasty University asked Zhu Xi related. One day Zhu Xi encountered meticulously five-way theory on the road friends Sheng Wen and carrying the basket, then asked: ”What are you going to ah?“ Sheng mild and replied: ”Zhu Xi stare at the spot, The original was not the word “things”. He puzzled to ask: “Buy things?” What does this mean? Why not buy ’North and South’? “Sheng Wen said with a smile: ” You really do not understand?