Lesson 23: Location words and expressing existence

Explanation

Structure

1. 1

   Phương vị từ làm chủ ngữ / tân ngữ / định ngữ / trung tâm ngữ

   Like nouns. As an attributive, it must be followed by "的"; as a head word, "的" is usually not used.

   • 里边有个人。

     Lǐbian yǒu ge rén.

     There is someone inside.

   • 邮局在西边。

     Yóujú zài xībian.

     The post office is in the west.

   • 左边的椅子是我的。

     Zuǒbian de yǐzi shì wǒ de.

     The chair on the left is mine.

   • 前边的学生是我们班的。

     Qiánbian de xuésheng shì wǒmen bān de.

     The students in front are from our class.

   • 图书馆里边有很多阅览室。

     Túshūguǎn lǐbian yǒu hěn duō yuèlǎnshì.

     The library has many reading rooms.

2. 2
   Phương vị từ+的+N (định ngữ) / N+phương vị từ (trung tâm ngữ, không có 的)

   A location word as an attributive takes 的; as a head word, 的 is usually not used.

   • 外边儿的教室

     wàibianr de jiàoshì

     the classroom outside

   • 里边儿的房间

     lǐbianr de fángjiān

     the room inside

   • 前边儿的同学

     qiánbianr de tóngxué

     the classmates in front

   • 教室里边

     jiàoshì lǐbian

     inside the classroom

   • 学校外边

     xuéxiào wàibian

     outside the school

   • 邮局东边

     yóujú dōngbian

     east of the post office

3. 3
   Danh từ+里 / 上 (bỏ 边)

   When "里边" and "上边" are combined with the noun before them, "边" is usually dropped. Don't say *在中国里, *在北京里.

   • 屋子里有很多人。

     Wūzi lǐ yǒu hěn duō rén.

     There are many people in the room.

   • 桌子上有很多书。

     Zhuōzi shàng yǒu hěn duō shū.

     There are many books on the table.

4. 4
   N (người / vật)+在+phương vị từ / nơi chốn

   "在" expresses the direction, position and place of something.

   • 邮局在东边。

     Yóujú zài dōngbian.

     The post office is in the east.

   • 食堂在那边。

     Shítáng zài nàbian.

     The dining hall is over there.

   • 玛丽在教室里（边）。

     Mǎlì zài jiàoshì lǐ(bian).

     Mary is in the classroom.

5. 5
   Phương vị từ / nơi chốn+(没)有+Nnoun

   "有" indicates that a person or thing exists in a certain place; its negative is (没)有.

   • 学校里边有一个邮局。

     Xuéxiào lǐbian yǒu yí ge yóujú.

     There is a post office on campus.

   • 邮局旁边有一个商店。

     Yóujú pángbiān yǒu yí ge shāngdiàn.

     There is a shop next to the post office.

   • 门前有很多自行车。

     Mén qián yǒu hěn duō zìxíngchē.

     There are a lot of bicycles in front of the door.

   • 我的宿舍里没有电话。

     Wǒ de sùshè lǐ méiyǒu diànhuà.

     There is no telephone in my dormitory.

6. 6
   Phương vị từ / nơi chốn+是+Nnoun

   Once you know that there is a person or thing somewhere and need to specify exactly "who" or "what" it is, use "是".

   • 这个包里是什么东西？

     Zhège bāo lǐ shì shénme dōngxi?

     What is in this bag?

   • 这个包里是书和词典。

     Zhège bāo lǐ shì shū hé cídiǎn.

     In this bag are books and a dictionary.

   • 玛丽前边是麦克。

     Mǎlì qiánbian shì Màikè.

     In front of Mary is Mike.