TongTong
Sign in

边上 (biān shàng) — side, edge, margin

Definition

noun
sideedgemargin

Examples

  • 边上。
    Zhuō zi biān shàng yǒu yì bǎ yǐ zi.
    There is a chair by the side of the table.
  • 边上。
    Tā zhàn zài mǎ lù biān shàng děng wǒ.
    He stood at the side of the road waiting for me.
  • 边上。
    Shū fàng zài shū jià biān shàng.
    The book is placed at the edge of the bookshelf.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

边biānside
上shàngon

边 means 'side' and 上 means 'on', pointing to the area on the side or edge.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →
Appears in
Directions5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.