Stuff vs. things (or is it all a bunch of dongxi?)

The Chinese word for “stuff” and “things” is the same: “Dongxi.”

Dongxi literally means east (dong) – west (xi), and comes from the old center street, which would run east-west, where all the markets would be set up. It’s where you went to buy all your stuff and all your things. To me, the two are different. You don’t really need stuff; you need things. Stuff you can do without; I really like my things. Get where I’m going with this?

I’ll admit I’ve always been a pretty materialistic person (as in I like my stuff and my things), but I’ve tried this year to think more about stuff and things and see how different they really are. Whether I’m going to buy necessary apartment “things” or just to spend money on silly Chinese “stuff,” it’s all the same in the pu tong hua (common language): mai dongxi. In my head, “mai dongxi” (buying things) sounds negative. Bored wives with their husband’s credit card “mai dongxi,” foreigners with their Meiguode qian (US dollars) “mai dongxi.”

How much of my life do I want to “mai dongxi?” How much of my “dongxi” do I really need? China’s made me ask these questions, and I think that’s a good thing, stuff, whatever.