Mandarin place words are nouns which describe a position or place. They may be the object of a sentence, or used to describe wher 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 – wher), 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