Use prepositions, such as "in," "at," "on," "of," "to," or “toward,” before nouns (e.g., “He sat on the table”) and pronouns (e.g., “I will speak to you soon”) and to describe direction, time, place, location, and spatial relationship, among others. There are many prepositions in Mandarin, and this post covers the commonly used ones!
In this post, we will discuss 在 (zài, in), 从 (cóng, from), 对 (duì, to), 对于 (duìyú, regarding), and 往 (wǎng, toward) / 朝 (cháo, toward) / 向 (xiàng, toward).
We will cover these prepositions as well as the prepositional constructions they are used in.
Interested in the use of prepositional constructions in Mandarin? Dive in and get to know more!
Use the preposition 在 (zài, in, at) to indicate a point in time or a location. For example:
他在早上锻炼。
(Tā zài zǎoshang duànliàn.)
He works out in the morning.
他在中国学习汉语。
(Tā zài Zhōngguó xuéxí Hànyǔ.)
He is studying Chinese in China.
在 (zài) is also used in three common constructions:
在...上 (zài...shàng, on)
在...下 (zài...xià, under)
在...中 (zài...zhōng, in)
We cover these constructions because they often have both literal and extended meanings. Take 在...上 for example, the literal meaning is “above x.” For example:
狗躺在地上。
(Gǒu tǎng zài dìshang.)
The dog is lying on the ground.
The extended meaning is “on the topic of.” For example:
在这个问题上, 我同意你的想法。
(Zài zhè ge wèntí shàng, wǒ tóngyì nǐ de xiǎngfǎ.)
I agree with you on this issue.
Let’s see all that in the table below:
在-construction | Literal meaning | Extended meaning |
|---|---|---|
在...上 (zài...shàng) | on 他站在椅子上。 (Tā zhàn zài yǐzi shàng.) He is standing on the chair. | on the topic of/regarding a certain aspect 我们在生活习惯上有很多不同。 (Wǒmen zài shēnghuó xíguàn shàng yǒu hěnduō bùtóng.) We have many differences in our living habits. |
在...下 (zài...xià) | under 他站在树下。 (Tā zhàn zài shù xià.) He is standing under the tree. | under/in some conditions 在紧急情况下，我没有时间给你打电话。 (Zài jǐnjí qíngkuàng xià, wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà. ) In an emergency, I don't have time to call you. |
在...中 (zài...zhōng) | in, among 她站在花丛中。 (Tā zhàn zài huācóng zhōng.) She is standing among the flowers. | during a process, within a scope 在他的印象中, 你是一个好学生。 (Zài tā de yìnxiàng zhōng, nǐ shì yī gè hào xuésheng.) In his impression, you are a good student. |
As shown in the above table, prepositional constructions can be placed at the start of a sentence or inside a sentence. When a prepositional construction is placed at the beginning of the sentence, usually the speaker intends to emphasize the phrase.
There are also some idiomatic usages of 在-construction. For example,
在我看来，这件事并不难。
(Zài wǒ kànlái, zhè jiàn shì bìng bù nán.)
In my opinion, this is not difficult.
在妈妈眼里，我永远都是一个孩子。
(Zài māma yǎn lǐ, wǒ yǒngyuǎn dōu shì yī gè háizi.)
In my mother's eyes, I will always be a child.
The preposition 从 (cóng, from) can be used with a time or a place. For example:
汉语课从九点开始。
(Hànyǔ kè cóng jiǔdiǎn kāishǐ.)
Chinese class starts from nine o'clock.
他是从中国来的。
(Tā shì cóng Zhōngguó lái de.)
He is from China.
从 (cóng) can be used in two constructions:
从...起 (cóng...qǐ, from)
从...到 (cóng...dào, from…to)
从 + time + 起 (cóng...qǐ, from) indicates a particular time forward.
从明年起，我们会涨工资。
(Cóng míngnián qǐ, wǒmen huì zhǎng gōngzī.)
Starting from next year, we will get a pay rise.
从...起 can also be replaced by 从...开始 (cóng... kāishǐ):
从明年开始，我们会涨工资。
(Cóng míngnián kāishǐ, wǒmen huì zhǎng gōngzī.)
Starting from next year, we will get a pay rise.
Another similar prepositional construction is 从 … 以后 (cóng … yǐhòu, ever since then, from now on).
从那以后，我再也没有见过他了。
(Cóng nà yǐhòu, wǒ zài yě méiyǒu jiàn guò tā le.)
I haven't seen him since then.
从今以后，我不会再见你了。
(Cóng jīn yǐhòu, wǒ bù huì zài jiàn nǐ le.)
From now on, I won't see you again.
If you want to express the idea of “from…to, until,” you’ll use the second construction: 从 + time/place + 到 (cóng...dào, from … to, until (a time)).
我们从七月到八月出去旅游。
(Wǒmen cóng qīyuè dào bāyuè chūqù lǚyóu.)
We will travel from July to August.
他从头到脚都淋湿了。
(Tā cóng tóu dào jiǎo dōu lín shī le.)
He was wet from head to toe.
When expressing the meanings of “about” or “regarding,” 对 (duì) and 对于 (duìyú) are used interchangeably. For example:
对/对于这些人，我真的没有办法 。
(Duì/duìyú zhèxiē rén, wǒ zhēnde méiyǒu bànfǎ. )
I really can't do anything about these people.
对/对于教育问题，他很重视。
(Duì/duìyú jiàoyù wèntí, tā hěn zhòngshì.)
He attaches great importance to education.
While the two prepositions are mostly interchangeable, when expressing the meaning of “to/toward,” we can only use 对 (duì). Additionally, 对 (duì) is used more widely than 对于 (duìyú). In the following situations, 对 (duì) can be used, but 对于 (duìyú) cannot.
When 对 (duì) conveys the meaning of “to treat”
他对孩子很好。
(Tā duì háizi hěn hǎo.)
He treats children very well.
But you cannot say:
X他对于孩子很好。
(Tā duìyú háizi hěn hǎo.)
When 对 (duì) is used after an adverb (e.g. 都 (dōu, all) in the middle of a sentence
他们都对父母很感恩。
(Tāmen dōu duì fùmǔ hěn gǎn'ēn.)
They are all grateful to their parents.
But you cannot say:
X他们都对于父母很感恩。
(Tāmen dōu duìyú fùmǔ hěn gǎn'ēn.)
对 (duì) can also be used as a verb (as a verb it means "to face / “to look out to") and an adjective (as a adjective it means "correct”), but 对于 (duìyú) can only be used as a preposition.
Verb:
他家的窗户对着我家的游泳池。
(Tā jiā de chuānghu duì zhe wǒ jiā de yóuyǒngchí.)
The window of his house faces my swimming pool.
Adjective:
这个答案对。
(Zhè ge dá'àn duì.)
This answer is correct.
The above discussion shows that 对 (duì) is more versatile than 对于 (duìyú).
Use the prepositions 往 (wǎng), 朝 (cháo), and 向 (xiàng) to convey the meaning of “toward” or “in the direction of.” These three prepositions follow the pattern below:
往/朝/向 + direction/place/person + verb
他往/朝/向东走去。
(Tā wǎng/cháo/xiàng dōng zǒu qù.)
He is walking toward the east.
他往/朝/向教室走去。
(Tā wǎng/cháo/xiàng jiàoshì zǒu qù.)
He is walking toward the classroom.
他往/朝/向我走来。
(Tā wǎng/cháo/xiàng wǒ zǒu lái.)
He is walking toward me.
In the first sentence, three prepositions combine with the directional word 东 (dōng, east) and are placed before the verb 走 (zǒu, walk). The prepositional phrases here indicate the direction of the action. In the second sentence, the prepositions combine with a place 教室 (jiàoshì, classroom). In the third sentence, the prepositions combine with a person 我 (wǒ, me).
While the three prepositions can be used interchangeably, 往 (wǎng), 朝 (cháo), and 向 (xiàng) are also different as shown in the following table:
Preposition | + 着 (zhe) ? | After verb? | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
往 (wǎng, toward) | no | yes | 往前看, 别往后看。 (Wǎng qián kàn, bié wǎng hòu kàn.) Look forward, don't look back. 飞机开往北京。 (Fēijī kāi wǎng Běijīng.) The plane is bound for Beijing. In the first sentence, 往 (wǎng) is placed before the verb 看 (kàn, see). In the second sentence, 往 (wǎng) is used after the verb |
朝 (cháo, toward) | 朝(着) | no | 他朝(着)我笑笑就走了。 (Tā cháo (zhe) wǒ xiàoxiao jiù zǒu le.) He smiled at me and left. 汽车朝(着)学校的方向开去了。 (Qìchē cháo (zhe) xuéxiào de fāngxiàng kāi qù le.) The car drove in the direction of the school. 朝 (cháo) here is used before the verb only, not after. |
向 (xiàng, toward) | 向(着) | yes | 他向(着)飞机场走去。 (Tā xiàng (zhe) fēijīchǎng zǒu qù.) He walked towards the airport. 孩子跑向妈妈 (Háizi pǎoxiàng māma.) The child runs to the mother. Only 向 (xiàng) can be used after a verb, not |
The above table shows the following differences between these three prepositions:
往 (wǎng) doesn’t go with the aspectual particle 着 (zhe), which indicates that something is / was / will be happening, but 朝 (cháo) and 向 (xiàng) can combine with 着 (zhe). 朝 (cháo) and 朝着 (cháozhe) mean the same thing and are interchangeable, and the same goes for 向 (xiàng) and 向着 (xiàngzhe).
往 (cháo) and 向 (xiàng) can be positioned before or after the verb, but 朝 (wǎng) cannot go after the verb.
For 往 (wǎng), there are certain verbs which tend to go with it:
往 (wǎng, toward), 朝 (cháo, toward), 向 (xiàng, toward) can also be used as a verb, meaning “to face,” “to go” among others. For example:
我家的房子朝北。
(Wǒjiā de fángzi cháo běi.)
My house faces north.
你往东, 他往西。快跑！
(Nǐ wǎng dōng, tā wǎng xī. Kuài pǎo!)
You go east, he goes west. Run!
这块地向阳, 种东西好。
(Zhè kuài dì xiàng yáng, zhòng dōngxī hǎo.)
This piece of land faces the sun (is sunny), (it is) good for the crops.
There are also some idiomatic uses of the prepositions, for example, 往下 means "keep going," 往下写 (wǎngxià xiě) means “keep writing,” and 往下说 (wǎngxià shuō) means “keep talking.”
Take a look at this sentence:
我们大家都应该向他学习。
(Wǒmen dàjiā dōu yīnggāi xiàng tā xuéxí. )
We should all learn from him.
Literally, we say “learning towards him” in Mandarin, while it is actually “learning from him” in English. Interesting, eh?
This post talks about 在 (zài) and 从 (cóng). Here is a table that summarizes their uses:
Translation | Header |
|---|---|
在...上 (zài...shàng) | on / on the topic of |
在...下 (zài...xià) | under / under some conditions |
在...中 (zài...zhōng) | in / within a scope |
从...起 (cóng...qǐ)/ 从...开始 (cóng... kāishǐ) | from (time) |
从 … 以后 (cóng … yǐhòu) | ever since then, from now on |
从...到 (cóng...dào) | from…to / until |
We also discussed five other prepositions: 对 (duì), 对于 (duìyú), 往 (wǎng), 朝 (cháo), and 向 (xiàng).
对 is used more widely than 对于, because 对 can go with other phrases where 对于 cannot.
往, 朝, and 向 are interchangeable in some situations, but they differ in other contexts.
朝 and 向 can add 着 to form 朝着 or 向着, but there is no 往着 in Mandarin.
往 and 向can be used before and after a verb, but 朝 can only be used before a verb.
All prepositions (except 对于) can also be used as a verb or an adjective, so these words are versatile and important to master.
Now it is time to practice using prepositional phrases in Mandarin Chinese with our activities!
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