方位名词

Locative nouns (方位名词) are direction and position words that attach to a noun to say where something is located. The most common ones at HSK 1 are: 上 (on/above), 下 (under/below), 里 (inside), 外 (outside), 前边 (in front), 后边 (behind), 左边 (left), 右边 (right), 旁边 (beside).

The core structure is: Noun + Locative word. For example: 桌子上 (on the table), 房间里 (inside the room), 学校前边 (in front of the school). The locative word ALWAYS comes after the noun — unlike English where we say 'on the table', putting 'on' first.

To use these in a full sentence, combine with 在 (to be at a location) or 有 (there is/are): 书在桌子上 (The book is on the table) / 桌子上有书 (There is a book on the table).

When NOT to use: Do not place the locative word before the noun (上桌子 is wrong). Do not confuse 里 (inside a container/room) with 上 (on a surface). Use 里 for enclosed spaces (房间里, 包里, 冰箱里) and 上 for surfaces (桌子上, 黑板上, 地图上).

Common confusion: English learners often say 在上桌子 copying 'on the table' — wrong! Chinese puts the locative word after the noun: 在桌子上.