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Level 2 Lesson 10.1 – To The Left Side; To The Right Side

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Locality Nouns 左边  右边  旁边  这边  那边 哪边 | Prepositions 向 and 往

In this video lesson we'll learn how to use Locality Nouns 左边, 右边, 旁边, 这边, 那边 哪边 to describe specific places locations in Chinese. We'll also learn how to say to and towards in Chinese with Preposition 向 and 往, and compare Existential Sentence with 是 and Existential Sentence with 有.  We'll also learn an important grammatical rule: the Attributive goes before the phrase that it modifies in Chinese.

VOCABULARY


EXPRESSIONS


GRAMMAR


Grammar 1: Locality Nouns 左边 右边 旁边 这边 那边 哪边 · HSK 2

We've learned a group of Locality Nouns before in Level 1, today we have another group. The chart below are both groups of Locality Nouns.

 

~边 (biān) ~面 (miàn) ~里 (li) ~儿 (r)
left; the left side zuǒbian
左边
zuǒmian
左面
/ /
right; the right side yòubian
右边
yòumian
右面
/ /
side (not center) pángbiān
旁边
/ / /
here zhèbiān
这边
/ zhèli
这里
zhèr
这儿
there nàbiān
那边
/ nàli
那里
nàr
那儿
where nǎbian
哪边
/ nǎlǐ
哪里
nǎr
哪儿
up; the top shàngbiān
上边
shàngmian
上面
/ /
bottom; the underneath xiàbiān
下边
xiàmian
下面
/ /
front qiánbiān
前边
qiánmian
前面
/ /
back hòubiān
后边
hòumian
后面
/ /

 

All these Locality Nouns can either be used by themselves, or used after another Noun, Pronoun to form a Phrase that suggests Location, let’s just call it Locality Phrase.

(1) Locality Nouns used by themselves

For example,

  • wǒ jiā zài zhèbian, bú zài nàbian
    我家在这边,不在那边。
    my home is at here, not at there
  • yòubian yǒu yí liàng chē
    右边有一辆车。
    (the) right side exist one "liang" (of) vehicle

 

(2) Locality Nouns used after another Noun/Pronounce to form a Locality Phrase

[Noun/Pronoun + Locality Noun] = Locality Phrase

For example,

  • gōngsī nàbiān
    公司那边
    (the) company there; there (where the) company (is)
  • wǒmen zhèbiān
    我们这边
    us here; here (where) we (are)
  • bàngōngshì yòubian
    办公室右边
    (the) right side (of the) office

 

A Locality Noun (Phrase) can be used as different Sentence Elements in Chinese.

(1) as the main Subject

  • nǐ qiánbian shì shéi
    你前边是谁?
    who is (the one that is on) your front

(2) as the main Object

  • lánqiú zài chuáng xiàbiān
    篮球床下边。
    (the) basketball is at the underneath (0f the) bed (在 as a v.)

(3) as the Object of a Preposition, forming a Prepositional Phrase

  • wǒmen bú zhù zài huǒchēzhàn zuǒbiān
    我们不住火车站左边。
    we (do) not live at (the) left side (of the) train station (在 as a prep.)

(4) as the Attributive

  • zuǒbian de fángjiān gèng dà、gèng piàoliang 
    左边的房间更大、更漂亮。
    (the) room (on the) left (is) bigger (and) prettier

 

Grammar 2: To and towards in Chinese with Preposition 向 and 往 · HSK 2/4

向 and 往 are both Prepositions suggesting "facing the direction of, or towards the direction of". 向 is a little bit more likely to be used in formal situations and written language. 往 can be more casual.

Both 向 and 往 can be used before a Locality Noun (Phrase) to form a Prepositional Phrase that tell us about "facing/towards the direction of some place/location".

For example,

  • bí wǎng zuǒbian zǒu, wǎng yòubian zǒu
    别往左边走,往右边走。
    don't walk towards (the) left, walk towards (the) right
  • xiàng qián kàn
    向前看!
    look to (the) front

 

Grammar 3: Existential Sentence with 是 · HSK 2

We've learned Existential Sentence with 有. "somewhere 有 something" to say "there are something in somewhere". We can also say an Existential Sentence with 是, "somewhere 是 something".

For example,

  • nà zhāng zhuōzi pángbiān shì wǒ de yǐzi
    那张桌子旁边是我的椅子。
    (by the) side (of) that "zhang" (of) table is my chair
  • zuǒbian shì lánqiú bǐsài, yòubiān shì zúqiú bǐsài
    左边是篮球比赛,右边是足球比赛。
    (the) left side is (a) basketball game; (the) right side is (a) soccer game

 

If we want to say the difference between using 有 and 是, here's some informtaion

Existential Sentence with 有 Existential Sentence with 是
Meaning "there is something, at this somewhere" "it is this something that is in this place"
Emphasis more that the something is part of this place, or part of the scene of this place an objective judgement of stating the fact that something is in this place

 

Let's compare these two pairs of sentences.

  • zhuōzi zuǒbian yǒu jīròu
    桌子左边有鸡肉。
    (the) left side (of the) table exist chicken
    there is chicken on the left of the table
  • zhuōzi zuǒbian shì jīròu
    桌子左边是鸡肉。
    (the) left side (of the) table is chicken
    it's chicken on the left of the table

 

  • bàngōngshì nàbian yǒu liǎngge lǎoshī
    办公室那边有两个老师。
    (the) office there exists two "ge" (of) teachers
    there are two teachers (over) there (where the) office (is)
  • bàngōngshì nàbian shì liǎngge lǎoshī
    办公室那边是两个老师。
    (the) office there are two "ge" (of) teachers
    it's two teachers that (are over) there (where the) office (is)

 

Grammar 4: The Attributive Goes Before the Phrase That It Modifies in Chinese · HSK 2

The Attributive goes before the Phrase that it modifies is a "golden grammatical rule" in Chinese.

Typically, No. 1 the Attributive goes before the phrase that it modifies, and No.2 the Adverbial goes before the Predicate.

(1) the Attributive goes before the phrase that it modifies

  • zuǒbian de bàngōngshì
    左边的办公室
    left side's office
  • xiūxi shíjiān
    休息时间
    rest time; break time

(2) the Adverbial goes before the Predicate

  • xiàng yǒubian kàn
    向右边看
    to the right-look=look to the right
  • wǎng pángbiān zǒu
    往旁边走
    to the side-walk=walk towards the side
  • kuài kàn
    快看
    quickly look=come look
  • bù máng
    不忙
    not busy
  • màn zǒu
    慢走
    slowly-walk=walk slowly(goodbye to say to guests)
5 Comments
Collapse Comments
Johnny KPremium Student July 4, 2023 at 11:44 pm

Hi Teacher,
Do these below phrases have the same meaning?
公司左边 Vs 左边的公司。

wawanPremium Student November 24, 2020 at 1:51 am

I still confuse about using 那边 or 那里, is it exchangeable..??

T.I.PPremium Student February 13, 2020 at 3:58 pm

Depending on what message I want to convey, can I use all three sentences?

这张桌子上左边我的电脑。
这张桌子上左边我的电脑。
我的电脑这张桌子上左边。

AudePremium Student May 27, 2020 at 1:46 pm

Interesting question. Would love the answer to.

dietrichPremium Student August 13, 2019 at 5:01 am

Hi, the audio seems to be wrong for
慢走 màn zǒu v. ph
Cheers and many thanks,
Dietrich

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