When describing the position of an object or person in a sentence, Mandarin Chinese commonly uses three verbs: \u5728(z\u00e0i), \u662f(sh\u00ec), and \u6709(y\u01d2u). These verbs convey different nuances and can be used in various sentence structures to indicate the location or existence of someone or something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Understanding how to use these verbs correctly is a fundamental part of the Chinese language, and they come up frequently in everyday situations, such as giving directions. In this article, we will explore the different ways of using \u5728, \u662f, and \u6709 and provide examples to help you grasp their usage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use “\u5728” to show where someone or something is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Someone\/something + \u5728(verb) + Location word<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This pattern is similar as the English sentence structure “Something\/someone is at some location.” However, “\u5728” is a verb, not a preposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Li\u00fa l\u01ceosh\u012b<\/p> <\/td> z\u00e0i<\/p> <\/td> ji\u00e0osh\u00ec l\u01d0.<\/p> <\/td> N\u01d0 de ch\u0113<\/p> <\/td> z\u00e0i<\/p> <\/td> w\u00e0imi\u00e0n ma?<\/p> <\/td> Ch\u0101osh\u00ec<\/p> <\/td> z\u00e0i b\u00fa z\u00e0i<\/p> <\/td> n\u01d0 ji\u0101 p\u00e1ngbi\u0101n?<\/p> <\/td> Y\u00ednh\u00e1ng<\/p> <\/td> z\u00e0i<\/p> <\/td> n\u01ce’er?<\/p> <\/td> Use “\u6709” to show that someone or something exists in a particular place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Location word + \u6709+ Someone\/something<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n W\u01d2ji\u0101 du\u00ecmi\u00e0n<\/p> <\/td> y\u01d2u<\/p> <\/td> y\u00edg\u00e8 g\u014dngyu\u00e1n.<\/p> <\/td> Xu\u00e9xi\u00e0o l\u01d0<\/p> <\/td> y\u01d2u<\/p> <\/td> sh\u016bdi\u00e0n.<\/p> <\/td> Sh\u016bdi\u00e0n p\u00e1ngbi\u0101n<\/p> <\/td> y\u01d2u<\/p> <\/td> Y\u00edg\u00e8 y\u00ednh\u00e1ng<\/p> <\/td> Ji\u00e0oxu\u00e9 l\u00f3u qi\u00e1n<\/p> <\/td> y\u01d2u<\/p> <\/td> h\u011bndu\u014d z\u00ecx\u00edngch\u0113.<\/p> <\/td> Use the following pattern to specify who or what is in a particular place when we already know that they exist there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Location word + \u662f+ Someone\/something<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zh\u00e8ge b\u0101o l\u01d0<\/p> <\/td> sh\u00ec<\/p> <\/td> sh\u00e9nme d\u014dngxi?<\/p> <\/td> Zh\u00e8ge b\u0101o l\u01d0<\/p> <\/td> <\/span>sh\u00ec<\/p> <\/td> sh\u01d2uj\u012b h\u00e9 qi\u00e1nb\u0101o.<\/p> <\/td> H\u00e1izi qi\u00e1nbian<\/p> <\/td> sh\u00ec<\/p> <\/td> m\u0101ma.<\/p> <\/td> Ch\u0101osh\u00ec du\u00ecmi\u00e0n<\/p> <\/td> sh\u00ec<\/p> <\/td> k\u0101f\u0113i gu\u01cen.<\/p> <\/td> Basically, we can use these three common ways to express the position of an object:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note :<\/strong> However the difference between \u6709 and \u662f: A sentence with \u6709 only denotes what exists in a certain place, while a sentence with \u662f not only indicates that a certain thing exists in a certain place, but also further specifies what that thing is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A\uff1a \u6211\u5bb6\u65c1\u8fb9\u6709\u4e00\u4e2a\u516c\u56ed.( W\u01d2ji\u0101 p\u00e1ngbi\u0101n y\u01d2u y\u00ed g\u00e8 g\u014dngyu\u00e1n.) Furthermore, the object of a sentence indicating existence with \u6709 is usually a general reference, while the object of a sentence indicating existence with \u662f is usually a specific reference. Therefore, we can say “\u5b69\u5b50\u524d\u8fb9\u6709\u4e2a\u4eba\u3002There is a person in front of the child,” but we wouldn’t say “\u5b69\u5b50\u524d\u8fb9\u6709\u5988\u5988\u3002There is a mother in front of the child.” Instead, we would say “\u5b69\u5b50\u524d\u8fb9\u662f\u5988\u5988\u3002The child’s mother is in front of them” or “\u5988\u5988\u5728\u5b69\u5b50\u524d\u9762\u3002The mother is in front of the child.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n In conclusion, when it comes to expressing the position of an object in a sentence, there are three common ways to do it in Chinese. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u5728(z\u00e0i) can indicate the location or position of something or someone. \u6709(y\u01d2u) can indicate the existence of someone or something in a particular place. Finally, \u662f(sh\u00ec) can indicate the existence of something or someone in a particular place and further specify what that thing or person is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s important to note the differences between using \u6709 and \u662f, where the former denotes what exists in a certain place and the latter further specifies what that thing or person is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Familiarizing yourself with these structures will allow you to express yourself with a higher level of fluency and specificity, which will make everyday conversations go much more smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Try to translate these sentences into Chinese:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reference answers:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When describing the position of an object or person in a sentence, Mandarin Chinese commonly uses three verbs: \u5728(z\u00e0i), \u662f(sh\u00ec), and \u6709(y\u01d2u). These verbs convey different nuances and can be used in various sentence structures to indicate the location or existence of someone or something. Understanding how to use these verbs correctly is a fundamental…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":5083,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1,176],"tags":[77,7,93,78,84],"post_series":[],"yoast_head":"\nNoun\/noun phrase<\/strong><\/td> \u5728<\/strong><\/td> Location word<\/strong><\/td> English meaning<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> \u5218\u8001\u5e08 \u5728<\/b> \u6559\u5ba4\u91cc\u3002 Teacher Liu is in the classroom.<\/td><\/tr> \u4f60\u7684\u8f66 \u5728<\/b> \u5916\u9762\u5417\uff1f Is your car outside?<\/td><\/tr> \u8d85\u5e02 \u5728\u4e0d\u5728<\/b> \u4f60\u5bb6\u65c1\u8fb9\uff1f Is the supermarket next to your home?<\/td><\/tr> \u94f6\u884c \u5728<\/b> \u54ea\u513f\uff1f Where is the bank?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n 2. \u6709(y\u01d2u)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Location word<\/strong><\/td> \u6709<\/strong><\/td> Noun\/noun phrase<\/strong><\/td> English meaning<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> \u6211\u5bb6\u5bf9\u9762 \u6709<\/b> \u4e00\u4e2a\u516c\u56ed\u3002 Across from our home, there is a park.<\/td><\/tr> \u5b66\u6821\u91cc \u6709<\/b> \u4e66\u5e97\u3002 There is a bookstore in the university.<\/td><\/tr> \u4e66\u5e97\u65c1\u8fb9 \u6709<\/b> \u4e00\u4e2a\u94f6\u884c There is a bank next to the bookstore.<\/td><\/tr> \u6559\u5b66\u697c\u524d \u6709<\/b> \u5f88\u591a\u81ea\u884c\u8f66\u3002 There are many bicycles in front of the academic building.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n 3. \u662f(sh\u00ec)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Location word<\/strong><\/td> \u662f<\/strong><\/td> Noun\/noun phrase<\/strong><\/td> English meaning<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> \u8fd9\u4e2a\u5305\u91cc \u662f<\/b> \u4ec0\u4e48\u4e1c\u897f\uff1f What\u2019s in this bag?<\/td><\/tr> \u8fd9\u4e2a\u5305\u91cc \u662f<\/b> \u624b\u673a\u548c\u94b1\u5305\u3002 There is a cell phone and wallet in this bag.<\/td><\/tr> \u5b69\u5b50\u524d\u8fb9 \u662f<\/b> \u5988\u5988\u3002 The kid\u2019s mom is in front of him.<\/td><\/tr> \u8d85\u5e02\u5bf9\u9762 \u662f<\/b> \u5496\u5561\u9986\u3002 Across from the supermarket is a coffee shop.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n 4. General comparison between \u5728, \u6709 and \u662f<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
English sentence<\/strong><\/td> Chinese sentence<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> B is A\u2019s location<\/strong>
The park is next to my home.<\/em><\/td>\u516c\u56ed \u5728<\/strong> \u6211\u5bb6\u7684\u65c1\u8fb9 (G\u014dngyu\u00e1n z\u00e0i w\u01d2ji\u0101 de p\u00e1ngbian.)<\/td><\/tr> A is B\u2019s location<\/strong>
There is a park next to my home.<\/em><\/td>\u6211\u5bb6 \u7684\u65c1\u8fb9 \u6709<\/strong> \u516c\u56ed (W\u01d2ji\u0101 de p\u00e1ngbian y\u01d2u g\u014dngyu\u00e1n.)<\/td><\/tr> A is B\u2019s location <\/strong>
Next to my home is a park.<\/em><\/td> \u6211\u5bb6 \u7684\u65c1\u8fb9 \u662f<\/strong> \u516c\u56ed (W\u01d2ji\u0101 de p\u00e1ngbian sh\u00ec g\u014dngyu\u00e1n.)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
There is a park next to my home.
B\uff1a\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\u516c\u56ed\uff1f(Sh\u00ec sh\u00e9nme g\u014dngyu\u00e1n?)
What\u2019s kind of that park?\/ what\u2019s name of that park?
(B wants to know more information about that park in detail.)
A: (\u6211\u5bb6\u65c1\u8fb9)\u662f\u666f\u5c71\u516c\u56ed\u3002(W\u01d2ji\u0101 p\u00e1ngbi\u0101n) sh\u00ec j\u01d0ngsh\u0101n g\u014dngyu\u00e1n.
It\u2019s Jingshan Park beside my home.<\/p>\n\n\n\nConclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s do some exercises<\/h2>\n\n\n\n