East and West
When giving directions, Chinese people often refer to north, south, east and west. For example, you may hear 'turn east' or 'turn west' instead of 'turn left' or 'turn right'. So it's important to figure out which direction you're facing before asking the question. Major streets in most Chinese cities run in straight lines east to west and north to south, particularly in old cities such as Beijing and Xi'an.
