Difference between revisions of "Expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li""
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* 你 的 手机 <em>在</em> 桌子 <em>上</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ de shǒujī <em>zài</em> zhuōzi <em>shàng</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Your cell phone is on the table.</span> | * 你 的 手机 <em>在</em> 桌子 <em>上</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ de shǒujī <em>zài</em> zhuōzi <em>shàng</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Your cell phone is on the table.</span> | ||
* 他 <em>在</em> 楼 <em>下</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zài</em> lóu <em>xià</em>.</span> <span class="trans">He is on the lower floor.</span> | * 他 <em>在</em> 楼 <em>下</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zài</em> lóu <em>xià</em>.</span> <span class="trans">He is on the lower floor.</span> | ||
− | * <em>在</em> 这 个 盒子 <em>里</em> 有 | + | * <em>在</em> 这 个 盒子 <em>里</em> 有 什么? <span class="pinyin"><em>Zài</em> zhè ge hézi <em>lǐ</em> yǒu shénme?</span> <span class="trans">What is inside of this box?</span> |
− | * 一 个 中国 人 <em>在</em> 我 <em>旁边</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Yī gè Zhōngguó rén <em>zài</em> wǒ <em>pángbiān</em>.</span> <span class="trans">There is a Chinese person at my side.</span> | + | * 一 个 中国 人 <em>在</em> 我 <em>旁边</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Yī gè Zhōngguó rén <em>zài</em> wǒ <em>pángbiān</em>.</span> <span class="trans">There is a Chinese person at my side.</span> |
− | * 我 <em>在</em> 火车 <em>上</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> huǒchē <em>shàng</em>.</span> <span class="trans">I am on the train.</span> | + | * 我 <em>在</em> 火车 <em>上</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> huǒchē <em>shàng</em>.</span> <span class="trans">I am on the train.</span> |
− | * 宝宝 <em>在</em> 床 <em>上</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Bǎobǎo <em>zài</em> chuáng <em>shàng</em>.</span> <span class="trans">The baby is on the bed.</span> | + | * 宝宝 <em>在</em> 床 <em>上</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Bǎobǎo <em>zài</em> chuáng <em>shàng</em>.</span> <span class="trans">The baby is on the bed.</span> |
− | * 手机 <em>在</em> 包 <em>里</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Shǒujī <em>zài</em> bāo <em>lǐ</em>.</span> <span class="trans">The cell-phone is in the bag.</span> | + | * 手机 <em>在</em> 包 <em>里</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Shǒujī <em>zài</em> bāo <em>lǐ</em>.</span> <span class="trans">The cell-phone is in the bag.</span> |
* 她们 还 <em>在</em> 公共 汽车 <em>上</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen hái <em>zài</em> gōnggòng qìchē <em>shàng</em>.</span> <span class="trans">They are still on the bus (public transportation vehicle).</span> | * 她们 还 <em>在</em> 公共 汽车 <em>上</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen hái <em>zài</em> gōnggòng qìchē <em>shàng</em>.</span> <span class="trans">They are still on the bus (public transportation vehicle).</span> | ||
− | * 一 只 虫子 <em>在</em> 汤 <em>里</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Yī zhī chóngzi <em>zài</em> tāng <em>lǐ</em>.</span> <span class="trans">There is a bug in the soup.</span> | + | * 一 只 虫子 <em>在</em> 汤 <em>里</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Yī zhī chóngzi <em>zài</em> tāng <em>lǐ</em>.</span> <span class="trans">There is a bug in the soup.</span> |
* 我们 现在 <em>在</em> 山 <em>上</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xiànzài <em>zài</em> shān <em>shàng</em>!</span> <span class="trans">We are right now on top of the mountain!</span> | * 我们 现在 <em>在</em> 山 <em>上</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xiànzài <em>zài</em> shān <em>shàng</em>!</span> <span class="trans">We are right now on top of the mountain!</span> | ||
* ( <em>在</em>) 我 家 <em>里</em> 有 很 多 好 酒 。 <span class="pinyin">(<em>Zài</em>) wǒ jiā <em>lǐ</em> yǒu hěn duō hǎo jiǔ.</span> <span class="trans">In my home there are lots of good alcohol.</span> | * ( <em>在</em>) 我 家 <em>里</em> 有 很 多 好 酒 。 <span class="pinyin">(<em>Zài</em>) wǒ jiā <em>lǐ</em> yǒu hěn duō hǎo jiǔ.</span> <span class="trans">In my home there are lots of good alcohol.</span> |
Revision as of 07:57, 4 November 2015
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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".
Contents
在 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 + Location
Examples
For example, these phrases are just fine as they are:
- 在 中国 in China
- 在 美国 in the USA
- 在 上海 in Shanghai
- 在 纽约 in New York
You wouldn't want to add other words to the ends of these place names.
在 with Specific Locations
To show where an object is in relation to another object, make a "sandwich" starting with 在 (zài), then adding a place, and then following it with one of the following words: 上 (shàng), 下 (xià), 里 (lǐ), 旁边 (pángbiān).
Structure
在 + Location + 上/下/里/旁边/etc
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.
Note: if the 在 (zài) + Location + 上 (shàng)/下 (xià)/里 (lǐ)/旁边 (pángbiān)/etc. structure is placed in the middle of the sentence, as a subject, then the character 在 (zài) must be used. If the 在 (zài) + Location + 上 (shàng)/下 (xià)/里 (lǐ)/旁边 (pángbiān)/etc. structure is placed at the beginning of the sentence, then the 在 (zài) can be omitted.
Examples
- 你 的 手机 在 桌子 上 。 Your cell phone is on the table.
- 他 在 楼 下 。 He is on the lower floor.
- 在 这 个 盒子 里 有 什么? What is inside of this box?
- 一 个 中国 人 在 我 旁边。 There is a Chinese person at my side.
- 我 在 火车 上。 I am on the train.
- 宝宝 在 床 上。 The baby is on the bed.
- 手机 在 包 里。 The cell-phone is in the bag.
- 她们 还 在 公共 汽车 上 。 They are still on the bus (public transportation vehicle).
- 一 只 虫子 在 汤 里。 There is a bug in the soup.
- 我们 现在 在 山 上 ! We are right now on top of the mountain!
- ( 在) 我 家 里 有 很 多 好 酒 。 In my home there are lots of good alcohol.
- ( 在) 这 个 盒子 里 有 什么 ? What is inside of this box?
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 / shàngbiān | Top, Above |
下 xià | 下面、下边 | Bottom, Under |
里 lǐ | 里面、里边 | Inside |
外 wài | 外面、外边 | Outside |
边 biān | 旁边 pángbiān | Side, Beside |
前 qián | 前面、前边 | Front |
后 hòu | 后面、后边 | Back, Behind |
左 zuǒ | 左边 | Left |
右 yòu | 右边 | Right |
Abstract Uses
Some prepositions can be paired with more abstract concepts to form idiomatic phrases. These kinds of phrases can really make your Chinese sound polished. Learn more about this construction here: Idiomatic phrases with "zai"
See Also
Sources and Further Reading
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (p. 128) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (p. 191) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 264, 325)→buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 40-1, 164-5, 185) →buy