在Zài and postpositional phrases in Chinese

A possibly more typical, way to express location is to employ the character 在 zài with what we shall refer to as a postpositional phrase, which consists of a noun and a postposition.

里 li – in(side) 

外 wài – out(side) 

上 shàng – on, above, over 

下 xià – under, below 

前 qián – in front of 

后 hòu – at the back of/behind 

边/旁边 biān/ pángbiān – by the side of 

中/中间 zhōng/ zhōngjiān – in the middle of 

对面 duìmiàn – opposite 

那儿/这儿 nàr/zhèr – at a place (there or here) 

Disyllabic postpositions 

in(side) 

里面 lǐmiàn 

里边 lǐbian 

里头 lǐtou 

 

out(side) 

外面 wàimiàn 

外边 wàibian 

外头 wàitou 

 

over 

上面 shàngmian

上边 shàngbian

 

on, above

上头 shàngtou  

 

under, below 

下面 xiàmian 

下边 xiàbian 

下头 xiàtou 

 

in front (of) 

前面 qiánmian 

前边 qiánbian 

前头 qiántou 

 

at the back (of)

后面 hòumian 

后边 hòubian 

后头 hòutou 

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Note: Other disyllabic postpositions with -面 -miàn or -边 -bian are: 

左面/左边 zuǒmiàn/zuǒbian – to the left (of) 

右面/右边 yòumiàn/yòubian – to the right (of) 

东面/东边 dōngmiàn/dōngbian – to the east (of) 

南面/南边 nánmiàn/nánbian – to the south (of) 

西面/西边 xīmiàn/xībian – to the west (of) 

北面/北边 běimiàn/běibian – to the north (of)

Such disyllabic postpositions usually follow disyllabic nouns to maintain a matching rhythm. 

学校前边xuéxiào qiánbian – in front of the school

桌子后边zhuōzi hòubian – behind the table

椅子旁边yǐzi pángbiān – next to the chair

Disyllabic postpositions as location pronouns 

Disyllabic postpositions can also function as place pronouns and combine with 在 zài to generate place phrases.

在后边 zài hòubian – at the back 

在里头 zài lǐtou – inside 

在上面 zài shàngmian – on top

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