Nouns of Position - 上、下、里、外…
方位名词 — 上、下、里、外…
The nouns of position 上, 下, 里, 外, 前, and 后 come after a noun to indicate a location.
Structure
Noun + 上 / 下 / 里 / 外 / 前 / 后
Elements
How to use it
- Always placed after the reference noun: 桌子上 (on the table), 学校里 (in the school).
- Often preceded by 在 to locate an action: 在学校里学习 (study at the school).
- Contrary to French: "on the table" = 桌子上 (table + on).
Examples
书在桌子上。
shū zài zhuōzi shàng。
The book is on the table.
桌子下面有一只猫。
zhuōzi xiàmiàn yǒu yī zhǐ māo.
A cat is under the table.
这个小区有好几个里。
zhè ge xióuqū yǒu jǐ gè lǐ.
This neighborhood has several streets.
他的想法有些外。
tā de xiǎngfǎ yǒu xiē wài.
Her thought is a bit external.
学校前有一棵树。
xuéxiào qián yǒu(yì)diǎnr yī kē shù。
There is an arbor in front of the school.
门在房子的后面。
mén zài fángzi de hòu miàn.
The door is behind the house.
Notes and exceptions
- Contrary to French, the position word comes after the reference noun.
- 里 is indispensable for "in": 房间里 (in the room), not just 房间.
- 上 : above. The word "上" means "to go up".
- 下 : below. The word "下" can mean "below", "under".
- 里 : inside. The character 里 (lǐ) can have several meanings depending on the context, but for beginner French learners, it means "inside".
- 外 : outside. The character "外" means "outside" or "external".
- 前 : in front of. The character "前" means "in front of" in French, which can be used in various contexts like "in front of", "previous", or "future".
- 后 : behind. The character 后 (hòu) means "behind" or "after".
Common mistakes
- Do not say *上桌子, but 桌子上: the noun always comes before the position word.
- Do not forget 里 to express "in": *在学校 (ambiguous) → 在学校里 (in the school).
Practice quiz
Choose the best option for each sentence, then submit to view the correction.
1. 书在桌子____。
(The book is on the table.)
2. 桌子____面有一只猫。
(A cat is under the table.)
3. 这个小区有好几个____。
(This neighborhood has several streets.)
4. 他的想法有些____。
(Her thought is a bit external.)
5. 学校____有一棵树。
(There is an arbor in front of the school.)
6. 门在房子的____面。
(The door is behind the house.)