Position and direction words
In Chinese, 方位词 (fāngwèicí) are the words that state direction or position.
This section covers these position words:
上on / above
下under / below
里inside
外outside
前in front of
后behind / after
外边outside
Basic structure
Position words state where a place or thing is.
Noun + 方位词
For example:
房间里
in the room
桌子上
on the table
房间里有一只小猫。
There is a little cat in the room.
Structure
房间 + 里
room + inside
房间room
里inside
有there is
一只小猫one little cat
Here 里 says that the cat is inside the room.
我们去书店外吧。
Let's go outside the bookstore.
Structure
书店 + 外
bookstore + outside
我们we
去go
书店外outside the bookstore
吧the suggesting tone
Here 外 names the outside of a place.
小雪的手机在桌子上呢。
Xiaoxue's phone is on the table, you know.
Structure
桌子 + 上
table + on
小雪的手机Xiaoxue's phone
在be located at
桌子上on the table
呢underlines the situation
Here 上 says that the phone is on the table.
The rule in short
Noun + position word
Examples:
房间里
in the room
书店外
outside the bookstore
桌子上
on the table