HSK 1
方位名词：上、下、里、外、前、后、左、右、东、南、西、北；上边、下边、里边、外边、前边、后边、左边、右边、东边、南边、西边、北边
fāng wèi míng cí ： shàng 、 xià 、 lǐ 、 wài 、 qián 、 hòu 、 zuǒ 、 yòu 、 dōng 、 nán 、 xī 、 běi ； shàng biān 、 xià biān 、 lǐ biān 、 wài biān 、 qián biān 、 hòu biān 、 zuǒ biān 、 yòu biān 、 dōng biān 、 nán biān 、 xī biān 、 běi biān
Location nouns: above, below, inside, outside, front, back, left, right, east, west, south, north, and extended forms with +边
Explanation
Location nouns (方位名词 fāngwèi míngcí) are words indicating direction and position such as 上 (shàng - above), 下 (xià - below), 里 (lǐ - inside), 外 (wài - outside), 前 (qián - front), 后 (hòu - back), 左 (zuǒ - left), 右 (yòu - right), 东南西北 (dōng nán xī běi - east, south, west, north). They are placed AFTER the noun to indicate a location, not before it as in English.
Noun + location word → 桌子上 (zhuōzi shàng - on the table); the extended form adds 边 (biān): 上边 (shàngbiān - the top side), 里边 (lǐbiān - the inside).
to identify the position of something, usually together with 在 (zài - to be at) or 有 (yǒu - to have/there is): 书在桌子上 (the book is on the table).
learners often place the location word BEFORE the noun out of habit ("on the table"), writing the wrong 上桌子; the correct form is 桌子上. Also, 里 (lǐ) does not take 边 after a proper name or large place name (for 中国 - China, one does not say 中国里).
Examples
on the table, under the tree, in the room, outside the door, in front of the building, behind the door
the top of the table, the inside of the schoolbag, the front of the restaurant, the north of the library, the bus stop to the east, the house to the south
The book is on the table.
The phone is in the schoolbag.
There is no one in the room.
He goes to the bus stop on the east side.
Practice
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Learn “方位名词：上、下、里、外、前、后、左、右、东、南、西、北；上边、下边、里边、外边、前边、后边、左边、右边、东边、南边、西边、北边” effectively
The grammar point “方位名词：上、下、里、外、前、后、左、右、东、南、西、北；上边、下边、里边、外边、前边、后边、左边、右边、东边、南边、西边、北边” (Location nouns: above, below, inside, outside, front, back, left, right, east, west, south, north, and extended forms with +边) is one of the key structures at HSK 1. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
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