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  <h1>Expressing location with "<span class="pinyinst">zai... shang / xia / li</span>"</h1>

  <p>You can use <span class="hanzi">在</span> (<span class="pinyin">zài</span>) to express location, but this article will explain how to use <span class="hanzi">在 </span>(<span class="pinyin">zài</span>) to express location in relation to another object. This way, you can describe if something is "on the table" or "in the room."</p>

  <h2 id="在-zài-with-big-locations"><span class="hanzist">在</span> (<span class="pinyinst">zài</span>) with "Big Locations"</h2>

  <p>If you're talking about a "big place," like a country or city, then all you need is <span class="hanzi">在 </span>(<span class="pinyin">zài</span>) and the name of the place.</p>

  <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>

  <div class="deux">
    <p><span class="hanzist">在</span> + Place</p>
  </div>

  <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>

  <p>For example, these phrases are fine just as they are:</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">在 中国</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">zài Zhōngguó</span> <br/> in China</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">在 美国</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">zài Měiguó</span> <br/> in the USA</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">在 上海</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">zài Shànghǎi</span> <br/> in Shanghai</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">在 纽约</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">zài Niǔyuē</span> <br/> in New York</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <p>You wouldn't want to add other words to the ends of these place names.</p>

  <h2 id="在-zài-with-specific-locations"><span class="hanzist">在</span> (<span class="pinyinst">zài</span>) with Specific Locations</h2>

  <p>To show where an object is in relation to another object, make a "sandwich" starting with <span class="hanzi">在</span> (<span class="pinyin">zài</span>), add a place, and then add one of the following words: <span class="hanzi">上</span> (<span class="pinyin">shàng</span>), <span class="hanzi">下</span> (<span class="pinyin">xià</span>), <span class="hanzi">里</span> (<span class="pinyin">lǐ</span>), <span class="hanzi">旁边</span> (<span class="pinyin">pángbiān</span>).</p>

  <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>

  <div class="deux">
    <p><span class="hanzist">在</span> + Place + <span class="hanzist">上 / 下 / 里 / 旁边 /</span> etc.</p>
  </div>

  <p>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.</p>

  <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">我 在 火车 上。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zài huǒchē shàng.</span> <br/> I am on the train.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 在 楼下。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tā zài lóuxià.</span> <br/> He is downstairs.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">Walmart 在 我家 旁边。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Walmart zài wǒ jiā pángbiān.</span> <br/> Walmart is next to my house.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 的 手机 在 包 里吗？</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ de shǒujī zài bāo lǐ ma?</span> <br/> Is your cell phone in the bag?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">在 地铁 上 有 很 多 人。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin"> Zài dìtiě shàng yǒu hěn duō rén.</span> <br/> On the metro there are a lot of people.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="common-nouns-of-locality">Common Nouns of Locality</h2>

  <p>The little words that come after the location in the phrases above aren't really "prepositions." They are called "nouns of locality," or <span class="hanzi">方位词</span> (<span class="pinyin">fāngwèicí</span>) 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:</p>

  <table class="table big-text table-striped table-bordered">
    <tbody>
      <tr>
        <th>
          <p>One-Character</p>
        </th>

        <th>
          <p>Two-Character</p>
        </th>

        <th>
          <p>English</p>
        </th>
      </tr>

      <tr>
        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">上</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">shàng</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">上面 / 上边</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">shàngmiàn / shàngbian</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p>top, above</p>
        </td>
      </tr>

      <tr>
        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">下</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">xià</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">下面 / 下边</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">xiàmiàn / xiàbian</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p>bottom, under</p>
        </td>
      </tr>

      <tr>
        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">里</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">lǐ</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">里面 / 里边</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">lǐmiàn / lǐbian</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p>inside</p>
        </td>
      </tr>

      <tr>
        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">外</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">wài</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">外面 / 外边</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">wàimiàn / wàibian</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p>outside</p>
        </td>
      </tr>

      <tr>
        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">边</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin"> biān</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">旁边</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">pángbiān</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p>side, beside</p>
        </td>
      </tr>

      <tr>
        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">前</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">qián</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">前面 / 前边</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin"> qiánmiàn / qiánbian</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p>front</p>
        </td>
      </tr>

      <tr>
        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">后</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">hòu</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">后面 / 后边</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin"> hòumiàn / hòubian</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p>back, behind</p>
        </td>
      </tr>

      <tr>
        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">左</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin"> zuǒ</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">左边</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">zuǒbian</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p>left</p>
        </td>
      </tr>

      <tr>
        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">右</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin"> yòu</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p><span class="hanzi">右边</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin"> yòubian</span></p>
        </td>

        <td>
          <p>right</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
  </table>

  <h2 id="abstract-uses">Abstract Uses</h2>

  <p>Some prepositions can be paired with more abstract concepts to form idiomatic phrases. These kinds of phrases can really make your Chinese sound polished. Later on you will learn about these idiomatic phrases with "zai".</p>

  <h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="Indicating_location_with_&quot;zai&quot;_before_verbs" title="wikilink">Indicating location with "zai" before verbs</a></li>

    <li><a href="Special_cases_of_&quot;zai&quot;_following_verbs" title="wikilink">Special cases of "zai" following verbs</a></li>

    <li><a href="Expressing_existence_in_a_place_with_&quot;zai&quot;" title="wikilink">Expressing existence in a place with "zai"</a></li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and Further Reading</h2>

  <h3 id="books">Books</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (p. 128)</li>

    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (p. 191)</li>

    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 264, 325)</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本4</span>) (pp. 40-1, 164-5, 185)</li>
  </ul>
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