Position words with , and (22)

1. The following table consists of all the position words. Position words are often bi-syllabic in spoken language. They are often formed by a joining position word with biān side , miàn face or jiān between . Either of the suffixes biān side or miàn face can be used as a suffix in a position word. The suffix jiān between can only be preceded by zhōng centre .

Position words

Suffixes

English

qián

/ biān/miàn

in front

hòu

/

behind

zuǒ

/

left side

yòu

/

right side

shàng

/

upper side

xià

/

underside

/

inside

wàn

/

outside

dōng

/

east side

nán

/

south side

西

/

west side

běi

/

north side

zhōng

jiān

middle

2. The word order for expressing the position of an object in Chinese is different from what it is in English. As explained in the de section, the primary information is placed after de and the descriptions of the information are placed before de . If one wants to say, “on the left of the dormitory”, in Chinese it would be 宿舍的左边 sùshè de zuǒbiān dormitory’s left . The primary information is left which is placed after de . To illustrate this speech pattern an English – Chinese comparison table is given below.

English

Chinese word order

Chinese

Top of the bookshelf

Bookshelf’s upperside

书架 ( ) 上边 shūjià shàngbiān

Underneath the table

Table’s underside

桌子 ( ) 下边 zhuōzi xiàbiān

Inside the house

House’s inside

房子 ( ) 里边 fángzi lĭbiān

On the east side of the library

Library’s east

图书馆 ( ) 东边 túshūguăn dōngbiān

3. There are three common ways to express the position of an object in a sentence by using the verbs zài to be in/on/at, shì to be and yǒu there is/are. In the following patterns, “A” and “B” represent objects or items and the PW stands for position words.

English sentence

Chinese sentence

A is PW of B

The canteen is in front of the dormitory.

A is B ’s PW

食堂 宿

shítáng zài sùshè de qiānbiān

PW of B is A

In front of the dormitory is the canteen.

B ’s PW is A

宿 食堂

sùshè de qiānbiān shì shítáng

There is A PW of B

There is a canteen in front of the dormitory .

B ’s PW is A

宿 一个

sùshè de qiānbiān yǒu yíge shítáng

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Assignments.

Translate the following sentences into Chinese (22, position words)

There is a Chinese restaurant next to the library.

The dormitory is behind the bookshop.

The chair is in front of the desk.

My college is left to the Chinese department.

The garden is behind of the house.

The students are inside the classroom.

There is dictionary beside you.