Languages 1001

title: Where Is It? — Location Words in Chinese description: Learn how to say where things are in Chinese using common location words—plus have a laugh with Lili and friends! level: HSK1 language: chinese type: fill

Is the cat on the table or under it? Is your phone in your bag or mysteriously outside? Let’s solve these mysteries using Chinese location words! (方位名词 fāngwèi míngcí)

🏠 The Basics: Location Words

You need to know these to talk about where things are (or aren’t)—super useful at HSK1!

• 上 (shàng): on, above
• 下 (xià): under, below
• 里 (lǐ): inside
• 外 (wài): outside
• 前 (qián): in front
• 后 (hòu): behind
• 左 (zuǒ): left
• 右 (yòu): right
• 东 (dōng): east
• 南 (nán): south
• 西 (xī): west
• 北 (běi): north

🚀 Make It Smoother With “边” (biān):

Add 边 after your location word for another way to say it.

• 上边 shàngbian (on top)
• 下边 xiàbian (underneath)
• 里边 lǐbian (inside)
• 外边 wàibian (outside)
• 前边 qiánbian (in front)
• 后边 hòubian (behind)
• 左边 zuǒbian (left)
• 右边 yòubian (right)

(You can use either form. Your meaning will still land like a pro.)

🛠️ How do you use it?

The basic pattern:

[Place/location] + [location word] + 有/没有/是/在 + [thing/people]

But for "A is on/in/under B" use:
[A] (thing/person) + 在(zài) + [B] (place) + [location word]
Examples:

• 书在桌子上。 (The book is on the table.)
• 手机在书包里。 (The phone is in the backpack.)
• 房间里没有人。 (There is nobody in the room.)
• 桌子下有一只猫。 (There is a cat under the table.)
• 他去东边的车站。 (He goes to the station on the east side.)
• 饭店的前边有一个公园。 (There’s a park in front of the restaurant.)

🏆 Hilarious Practice with Our Characters:

• 张莉莉的手机在沙发下面。(Lili’s phone is under the sofa. Guess who is panicking!)
• 王浩然在学校外边。(Haoran is outside the school. But does his dad know?)
• 陈秀兰在厨房里。(Xiulan is in the kitchen. Making soup as usual!)
• 刘志强在商店里边。(Zhiqiang is inside the shop. Working hard or maybe...snacking?)

Remember: When in doubt, just shout "在(zài) + PLACE + 上/下/里/外..." — and everyone will know where you left your stuff!

1. 书 桌子 。(The book is on the table.)

2. 手机 书包 。(The phone is in the backpack.)

3. 房间 没有 人。(There is nobody in the room.)

4. 我们 在 饭店 。(We are in front of the restaurant.)

5. 车站 在 东 。(The station is on the east side.)

6. 猫 桌子 。(The cat is under the table.)

7. 教室 很热。(It's hot outside the classroom.)

8. 你爸爸 在 家 吗？(Is your dad in the house?)

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