Location with 部 bù and 邊 biān

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Grammar Point

Location with 部 bù and 边 biān

當代中文2 Contemporary Chinese 2

Both 部 bù and 边 biān go after direction words like 北 běi (north) or 东 dōng (east), but they mean different things. 部 bù is a part or region inside a place (“the northern part of Taiwan”), while 边 biān is a side or direction, often outside or next to something (“north of Taiwan,” “on the left”).

一 部 · A Region Inside

Place + (的) + direction + 部

部 bù refers to a whole region within a country, city, or area. It sounds a bit more formal and is common in the news and weather reports. It only works with the compass directions.

东部 dōngbùthe east南部 nánbùthe south西部 xībùthe west北部 běibùthe north中部 zhōngbùthe middle
美国Měiguó东部dōngbù有yǒu很hěn多duō大dà城市chéngshì，像是xiàngshì纽约市Niǔyuē Shì和hé波士顿Bōshìdùn
The eastern US has lots of big cities, like New York City and Boston.
台湾Táiwān的de南部nánbù天气tiānqì很hěn热rè
The weather in southern Taiwan is really hot.
台湾Táiwān的de北部běibù有yǒu很hěn多duō大dà公司gōngsī
There are lots of big companies in northern Taiwan.
明天míngtiān东部dōngbù地区dìqū会huì有yǒu大雨dàyǔ
There will be heavy rain in the eastern region tomorrow.
You’ll hear this kind of sentence all the time in weather forecasts.
中国Zhōngguó的de西部xībù地区dìqū地形dìxíng多样duōyàng，有yǒu沙漠shāmò和hé高原gāoyuán
Western China has varied terrain, including deserts and plateaus.
和: hàn or hé?In Taiwan, the conjunction 和 (“and”) is often pronounced hàn in everyday speech. In mainland China, it’s hé.

二 边 · A Side or Direction

(Place + 的) + direction + 边

边 biān means a side or direction. It’s more casual and very common in speech. Unlike 部 bù, it works with left, right, front, and back too.

东边 dōngbianeast side南边 nánbiansouth side西边 xībianwest side北边 běibiannorth side左边 zuǒbianleft右边 yòubianright前边 qiánbianfront后边 hòubianback
美国Měiguó北边běibian有yǒu加拿大Jiānádà，南边nánbian有yǒu墨西哥Mòxīgē
Canada is to the north of the US, and Mexico is to the south.
那nà栋dòng楼lóu在zài右边yòubian
That building is on the right.
这zhè家jiā餐厅cāntīng在zài公园gōngyuán的de南边nánbian，很hěn容易róngyì找zhǎo
This restaurant is just south of the park. It’s really easy to find!
左边zuǒbian有yǒu一yì家jiā咖啡厅kāfēitīng，我们wǒmen去qù那里nàlǐ坐zuò一下yíxià吧ba
There’s a café on the left. Let’s go sit there for a bit.
你nǐ看kàn，那nà个ge超市chāoshì就jiù在zài前边qiánbian
Look, the supermarket is right up ahead!
边 or 面?边 biān can also be 面 miàn: 前面, 后面, 右面. In Taiwan, people usually say 前面 qiánmiàn and 后面 hòumiàn for front and back, but 左边 zuǒbian and 右边 yòubian for left and right.

三 部 vs. 边

The easiest way to remember: 部 bù is inside the place, 边 biān is outside or next to it.

N ↑
北边běibian
日本Rìběn
北部běibù
中部zhōngbù
南部nánbù
台北Táiběi
台湾Táiwān
部 = a part inside边 = a side, outside

部 · a part inside

台北Táiběi在zài台湾Táiwān的de北部běibù
Taipei is in northern Taiwan. (It’s part of Taiwan.)

边 · a side, outside

日本Rìběn在zài台湾Táiwān的de北边běibian
Japan is north of Taiwan. (It’s not part of Taiwan.)

四 Common Mistakes

❌ 台北Táiběi在zài台湾Táiwān的de北边běibian

✅ 台北Táiběi在zài台湾Táiwān的de北部běibù

Taipei is inside Taiwan, so use 部 bù.

❌ 加拿大Jiānádà在zài美国Měiguó的de北部běibù

✅ 加拿大Jiānádà在zài美国Měiguó的de北边běibian

Canada isn’t part of the US. It’s outside, to the north, so use 边 biān.

❌ 那nà栋dòng楼lóu在zài右部yòubù

✅ 那nà栋dòng楼lóu在zài右边yòubian

部 bù only goes with compass directions. Left, right, front, and back always use 边 biān.

五 Practice

Try it yourself

Map Match

Tap a word below, then tap the square where it belongs. Is it a part inside Taiwan, or a side around the park?

Inside Taiwan

台湾Táiwān

Around the park

🌳
公园gōngyuán

 

Test yourself

部 or 边?

Related Grammar

→Direction Words in ChineseVocabulary
→Vocabulary of LocationsVocabulary
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