Before we look up the direction words in Chinese, let me tell you something. There are two different ways people tell you to turn: Southerners use the word 拐 guǎi while Northerners use the word 轉/转 zhuǎn. In Taiwan, we also use 轉/转 zhuǎn. For example, 前面左轉/前面左转 qiánmiàn zuǒzhuǎn (turn left in the front).
Basic Direction Words in Chinese
| Simplify | China | Traditional | Taiwan | English | Korean | Japanese |
| 里面(儿) | lǐmiàn(r) | 裡面 | lǐmiàn | Inside | 안에 | 內 |
| 外面(儿) | wàimiàn(r) | 外面 | wàimiàn | Outside | 밖에 | 外 |
| 上面(儿) | shàngmiàn(r) | 上面 | shàngmiàn | On | 위 | 上 |
| 下面(儿) | xiàmiàn(r) | 下面 | xiàmiàn | Under | 아래 | 下 |
| 前面(儿) | qiánmiàn(r) | 前面 | qiánmiàn | Front | 앞 | 前 |
| 后面(儿) | hòumiàn(r) | 後面 | hòumiàn | Behind | 뒤 | 後ろ |
| 左边(儿) | zuǒbiān(r) | 左邊 | zuǒbiān | Left | 왼쪽 | 左 |
| 右边(儿) | yòubiān(r) | 右邊 | yòubiān | Right | 오른쪽 | 右 |
Examples
你往前面一直走，就會撞到牆！
你往前面一直走，就会撞到墙！
Nǐ wǎng qiánmiàn yìzhí zǒu, jiù huì zhuàngdào qiáng！
If you keep going ahead, you will hit the wall!
我心裡面永遠有你的位子
我心里面永远有你的位子
Wǒ xīn lǐmiàn yǒngyuǎn yǒu nǐde wèizi.
There will always be a place for you in my heart.
Other Directions Words in Chinese
| Simplify | China | Traditional | Taiwan | English | Korean | Japanese |
| 对面 | duìmiàn | 對面 | duìmiàn | Opposite | 맞은편 | 反対側の |
| 附近 | fùjìn | 附近 | fùjìn | Nearby | 근처 | 近く |
| 旁边(儿) | pángbiān(r) | 旁邊 | pángbiān | Beside | 옆 | 隣, 横 |
| 中间 | zhōngjiān | 中間 | zhōngjiān | Middle | 중간 | 中 |
| 这儿 | zhèr | 這裡 | zhèlǐ | Here | 여기 | ここ |
| 那儿 | nàr | 那裡 | nàlǐ | There | 저기 | そこ |
| 哪儿 | nǎr | 哪裡 | nǎlǐ | Where | 어디 | どこ |
Examples
我家在地鐵站附近，所以很方便
我家在地铁站附近，所以很方便
Wǒ jiā zài dìtiězhàn fùjìn， suǒyǐ hěn fāngbiàn.
My house is near the subway station, so it’s very convenient.
中間/中间 zhōngjiān can also indicate between.
Another word for between, which is listed in HSK2, is 之間/之间 zhījiān
我和你之間有一堵看不見的牆
我和你之间有一堵看不见的墙
Wǒ hén nǐ zhījiān yǒu yìdǔ kànbújiàn de qiáng.
There is an invisible wall between you and me.
A1 Direction Words
