Mandarin place words are nouns which describe a position or place. They may be the object of a sentence, or used to describe where the object is.
When used as a position, Mandarin place words are usually preceded by the particle 在 zài (to be located at). When used as an object, place words are usually preceded by 有 yǒu (there is).
Types of Mandarin Place Words
There are three main types of Mandarin place words:
- Place names – e.g. 台北 (Táiběi – Taipei); 學校 / 学校 (xuéxiào – school)
- Positional nouns such as 這裡 /这里 (zhèlǐ – here)
- Place word suffixes such as 裡 / 里 (lǐ) and 上 (shàng)
Place Names
Mandarin place names are nouns which may precede other nouns to modify them, as in 加拿大人 (jiānádà rén – Canadian person). Place names usually do not use 的 (de) to modify other nouns. Geographic place names are not usually modified, but locations such as學校 / 学校 (xuéxiào – school) may be preceded by an adjective.
Positional Nouns
Mandarin positional nouns end in 面, as in 外面 (wàimian – outside), but also include 這裡 / 这里 (zhèlǐ – here), 哪裡 / 哪里 (nǎli – where), and 那裡 / 那里 (nail – there).
Positional nouns can be used before any other noun, usually with 的 (de), as in these examples:
外面的學校
外面的学校
wàimian de xuéxiào
outside the school
這裡的郵局
这里的邮局
zhèlǐ de yóujú
the post office here
Positional nouns can also be used after some nouns to indicate position:
學校裡面
学校里面
xuéxiào lǐmiàn
inside the school
桌子上面
zhuōzi shàngmian
on the table
Place Word Suffix
Place word suffixes convert nouns into place words. The most common place word suffixes are 裡 / 里 (lǐ); 外 (wài); 上 (shàng); and 下 (xià).
桌子上
zhuōzishàng
on the table
學校裡
学校里
xuéxiàolǐ
in the school
樓下
楼下
lóuxià
downstairs
房子外
fángzi wài
outside the house
