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哪边 (nǎ biān) — which side?; which direction? / where? (with a sense of direction)

Definition

哪边 (nǎ biān) asks about a side or direction — physical ('which side of the street?') rather than a choice between options (use 哪个 for that).

which side?which direction? / where? (with a sense of direction)

Examples

  • 哪边？
    Nǐ zhù zài jiē de nǎ biān?
    Which side of the street do you live on?
  • 哪边？
    Wǒ men wǎng nǎ biān zǒu?
    Which way should we go?
  • 哪边？
    Tú shū guǎn zài zhè tiáo lù de nǎ biān?
    Which side of this road is the library on?

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.

哪nǎwhich
边biānside

哪 asks which and 边 means side; together they ask which side or where.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 哪 →

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 →
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