1.
the West, Western countries, Occident
Europe and North America, as distinguished from East Asia.
西洋の音楽が好きだ。
I like Western music.
西洋料理を習っている。
I'm learning Western cooking.
西洋の文化に興味がある。
I'm interested in Western culture.
西洋風の家に住むのが子供の頃からの夢だった。
Living in a Western-style house has been my dream since childhood.
西洋と東洋の文化の違いを研究して論文を書いた。
I studied the differences between Western and Eastern cultures and wrote a paper.
西洋 means "the West" - referring to Europe and North America, as contrasted with East Asia.
COMMON COMPOUNDS:
- 西洋人: Westerner
- 西洋風: Western-style
- 西洋料理: Western cuisine
- 西洋文化: Western culture
- 西洋音楽: Western music
CONTRAST:
- 西洋: the West, Western countries
- 東洋: the East, Eastern countries (Asia)
- 欧米: Europe and America (more specific)
NOTE:
西洋 often carries connotations of traditional Western culture, while 欧米 is more neutral for modern Western countries.