Learn Mandarin Placement Terms for Describing Locations

The Mandarin language uses two â€Å"suffixes† for placement terms: mià  n and biÄ n. Both of these words mean â€Å"side,† but biÄ n emphasizes divisions (such as borders) between things. BiÄ n is used for things on the side (such as the right side or left side) and mià  n is used for locating things within a sphere (such as above or in front of). Once you are familiar with Mandarin language placement terms, the use of mià  n and biÄ n will come automatically, since each word is used exclusively within certain phrases. For example, the Mandarin language has only one phrase for â€Å"opposite† (duà ¬mià  n), so once you have learned this vocabulary you will not likely try to say it as duà ¬biÄ n. Here and There here - zhà ¨lÇ  - 這è £ ¡there - nà  li - é‚ £Ã¨ £ ¡over here - zhà ¨biÄ n - 這邊over there - nà  biÄ n - é‚ £Ã©â€šÅ  Right and Left right - yà ²u - Ã¥  ³left - zuÇ’ - Ã¥ · ¦right side - yà ²ubiÄ n - Ã¥  ³Ã©â€šÅ left side - zuÇ’biÄ n - Ã¥ · ¦Ã©â€šÅ beside - pà ¡ngbiÄ n - æâ€" Ã©â€šÅ  Around opposite - duà ¬mià  n - Ã¥ ° Ã©  ¢in front - qià ¡nmià  n - å‰ Ã©  ¢behind - hà ²umià  n - Ã¥ ¾Å'é  ¢on top - shà  ngmià  n - ä ¸Å Ã©  ¢under - xià  mià  n - ä ¸â€¹Ã©  ¢inside - lÇ mià  n - è £ ¡Ã©  ¢outside - wà  imià  n - Ã¥ ¤â€"é  ¢ Placement Terms English Pinyin Characters The tea is here. Chà ¡ zà  i zhà ¨lÇ . èÅ' ¶Ã¥Å" ¨Ã©â‚¬â„¢Ã¨ £ ¡Ã¯ ½ ¡ The book is there. ShÃ… « zà  i nà  lÇ . æ› ¸Ã¥Å" ¨Ã©â€š £Ã¨ £ ¡Ã¯ ½ ¡ The notebook is over here. BÇ jà ¬bÄ›n zà  i zhà ¨biÄ n. ç ­â€ Ã¨ ¨ËœÃ¦Å" ¬Ã¥Å" ¨Ã©â‚¬â„¢Ã©â€šÅ Ã¯ ½ ¡ The cup is over there. BÄ“izi zà  i nà  bian. æ  ¯Ã¥ ­ Ã¥Å" ¨Ã©â€š £Ã©â€šÅ Ã¯ ½ ¡ This is my right hand. Zhà ¨ shà ¬ wÇ’ de yà ²u shÇ’u. 這æ˜ ¯Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¥  ³Ã¦â€°â€¹Ã¯ ½ ¡ This is my left hand. Zhà ¨ shà ¬ wÇ’de zuÇ’ shÇ’u. 這æ˜ ¯Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¥ · ¦Ã¦â€°â€¹Ã¯ ½ ¡ The bag is on the right side. Dà  izi zà  i yà ²ubiÄ n. è ¢â€¹Ã¥ ­ Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¥  ³Ã©â€šÅ Ã¯ ½ ¡ The book is on the left side. ShÃ… « zà  i zuÇ’biÄ n. æ› ¸Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¥ · ¦Ã©â€šÅ Ã¯ ½ ¡ The bank is beside the post office. Yà ­nhà ¡ng zà  i yà ³ujà º pà ¡ngbiÄ n. 銀è ¡Å'Ã¥Å" ¨Ã©Æ' µÃ¥ ±â‚¬Ã¦â€" Ã©â€šÅ Ã¯ ½ ¡ My house is opposite the school. WÇ’ jiÄ  zà  i xuà ©xià  o duà ¬mià  n. 我å ® ¶Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¥ ­ ¸Ã¦   ¡Ã¥ ° Ã©  ¢Ã¯ ½ ¡ He is sitting in front of me. TÄ  zuà ² zà  i wÇ’ qià ¡nmian. ä »â€"Ã¥  Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¥â€° Ã©  ¢Ã¯ ½ ¡ The bus is behind (us). ChÄ“ zÇ  zà  i hà ²u mià  n. è »Å Ã¥ ­ Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¥ ¾Å'é  ¢Ã¯ ½ ¡ The book is on top of the table. ShÃ… « zà  i zhuÃ… zi shà  ngmian. æ› ¸Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¦ ¡Å'Ã¥ ­ Ã¤ ¸Å Ã©  ¢Ã¯ ½ ¡ The cat is under the chair. Mà  o zà  i yÇ zi xià  mian. è ²â€œÃ¥Å" ¨Ã¦ ¤â€¦Ã¥ ­ Ã¤ ¸â€¹Ã©  ¢Ã¯ ½ ¡ The children are inside the school. Hà ¡izi zà  i xuà ©xià  o lÇ mià  n. Ã¥ ­ ©Ã¥ ­ Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¥ ­ ¸Ã¦   ¡Ã¨ £ ¡Ã©  ¢Ã¯ ½ ¡ The dog is outside the house. GÇ’u zà  i fà ¡ngzi wà  imian. ç‹â€"Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¦Ë† ¿Ã¥ ­ Ã¥ ¤â€"é  ¢Ã¯ ½ ¡