Expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"

This article is a stub. Editors can help the Chinese Grammar Wiki by expanding it.

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

Structure used for Location

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 words below.

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 + Location + 上/下/里/旁边/etc) structure is placed in the middle of the sentence, as a subject, then the character 在 (zài) must be used. If the "在 + Location + 上/下/里/旁边/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 地铁 里。I am in the metro.
  • 宝宝 在 床 上。The baby is on the bed.
  • 手机 在 包 里。The cell-phone is in the box.
  • 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?

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


Retrieved from "https://resources.allsetlearning.com/gramwiki/?title=Expressing_location_with_%22zai..._shang_/_xia_/_li%22&oldid=21652"