I can say where a thing or a person is: on the table, under the chair, inside, outside, in front, behind, next to — 手机在桌子上.
Where things are: 上, 下, 里
Where things are: 上, 下, 里
What for: say where a thing is and where a person is.
In English “on the table”, the preposition comes first. Chinese is the other way round: first the thing, then the place word — 桌子上 (zhuōzi shang), literally “table-on”.
Where a thing is: who/what + 在 + thing + place word: 他的电脑在椅子上。(Tā de diànnǎo zài yǐzi shang.) “His computer is on the chair.”
上, 下, 里 go straight after the noun; 外, 前, 后 usually take 边: 前边 (qiánbian), 后边 (hòubian), 外边 (wàibian). 边 can be added to 上 / 下 / 里 too: 桌子上边 (zhuōzi shàngbian) is also correct.
这边 / 那边 — “on this / that side”; 旁边 — “next to”: 书旁边 (shū pángbiān) “next to the book”.
With a country or a city no place word is needed, just as in English “in China”: 在中国 (zài Zhōngguó), 在莫斯科 (zài Mòsīkē).
Common mistakes:
• ×在上椅子 (zài shàng yǐzi) → 在椅子上 (zài yǐzi shang) (the place word comes after the thing).
• ×他是外边 (Tā shì wàibian.) → 他在外边。(Tā zài wàibian.) (“to be somewhere” is 在, even where English says “He is outside”).
• ×在中国里 (zài Zhōngguó li) → 在中国。(zài Zhōngguó.)
Where things are
In Chinese the thing comes first, then the place word: 桌子上 “table-on”.
| Place word | How to say it | In English |
|---|---|---|
| 上 | 桌子上 (zhuōzi shang) | on the table |
| 下 | 椅子下边 (yǐzi xiàbian) | under the chair |
| 里 | 杯子里 (bēizi li) | in the cup |
| 外 | 家外边 (jiā wàibian) | outside the house |
| 前 | 桌子前边 (zhuōzi qiánbian) | in front of the table |
| 后 | 椅子后边 (yǐzi hòubian) | behind the chair |
| 旁边 | 书旁边 (shū pángbiān) | next to the book |
Lesson notes
Where things are: 上, 下, 里
What for: say where a thing is and where a person is.
In English “on the table”, the preposition comes first. Chinese is the other way round: first the thing, then the place word — 桌子上 (zhuōzi shang), literally “table-on”.
Where a thing is: who/what + 在 + thing + place word: 他的电脑在椅子上。(Tā de diànnǎo zài yǐzi shang.) “His computer is on the chair.”
上, 下, 里 go straight after the noun; 外, 前, 后 usually take 边: 前边 (qiánbian), 后边 (hòubian), 外边 (wàibian). 边 can be added to 上 / 下 / 里 too: 桌子上边 (zhuōzi shàngbian) is also correct.
这边 / 那边 — “on this / that side”; 旁边 — “next to”: 书旁边 (shū pángbiān) “next to the book”.
With a country or a city no place word is needed, just as in English “in China”: 在中国 (zài Zhōngguó), 在莫斯科 (zài Mòsīkē).
Common mistakes:
• ×在上椅子 (zài shàng yǐzi) → 在椅子上 (zài yǐzi shang) (the place word comes after the thing).
• ×他是外边 (Tā shì wàibian.) → 他在外边。(Tā zài wàibian.) (“to be somewhere” is 在, even where English says “He is outside”).
• ×在中国里 (zài Zhōngguó li) → 在中国。(zài Zhōngguó.)