Chinese Grammar: Expressing location with 在 … 上 / 下 / 里 / 旁边

You can use 在 (zài) to express location, but this article will explain how to use 在 (zài) to express location in relation to another object. This way, you can describe if something is “on the table” or “in the room.”

 

(zài) with “Big Locations”

If you’re talking about a “big place” like a country or city, then all you need is 在 (zài) and the name of the place.

Structure: 在 + Place

Examples:

在中国 (zài Zhōngguó) = in China

在美国 (zài Měiguó) = in the USA

在上海 (zài Shànghǎi) = in Shanghai

 

(zài) with Specific Locations

To show where an object is in relation to another object, make a “sandwich” starting with 在 (zài), add a place, and then add one of the following words: 上 (shàng), 下 (xià), 里 (lǐ), 旁边 (pángbiān).

Structure: 在 + Location+ 上 / 下 / 里 / 旁边

Notice that the “preposition” comes after the location and object that it modifies. That is, in English we say “on the table,” but in Chinese, it is more like “at the table, on.” This can be somewhat confusing, but don’t worry. Once you start using this construction, it gets easy really quickly.

Examples:

在桌子上。(zài zhuōzi shàng) = on the table

你的手机在包里吗?(nǐ de shǒujī zài bāo lǐ ma) = Is your cell phone in the bag?

他在楼下。(tā zài lóuxià) = He is downstairs.

Walmart在我家旁边。(Walmart zài wǒ jiā pángbiān) = Walmart is next to my house.

我在火车上。(wǒ zài huǒchē shàng) = I am on the train.

 

(zài) with Specific Occasion

Structure: 在 + Occasion + 上

Examples:

在课上 (zài kè shàng) = in class

在派对上 (zài pàiduì shàng) = at the party

在会议上 (zài huìyì shàng) = at the meeting

 

Common Nouns of Locality

The little words that come after the location in the phrases above aren’t really “prepositions.” They are called “nouns of locality,” or 方位词 (fāngwèicí) in Chinese. They actually tend to have several forms, which can be confusing if you’re not used to them. The chart below shows their most common forms:

One-Character         Two-Character                                               English

上shàng                         上面 / 上边shàngmiàn / shàngbian                   top, above

下xià                              下面 / 下边xiàmiàn / xiàbian                              bottom, under

里lǐ                                 里面 / 里边lǐmiàn / lǐbian                                    inside

外wài                             外面 / 外边wàimiàn / wàibian                            outside

边biān                            旁边pángbiān                                                         side, beside

前qián                            前面 / 前边qiánmiàn / qiánbian                        front

后hòu                             后面 / 后边hòumiàn / hòubian                          back, behind

左zuǒ                             左边zuǒbian                                                            left

右yòu                             右边yòubian                                                           right


Post time: Apr-14-2020