Usage note
“边”表示某个地方或物体的旁边位置，常用来指出方向或地点。
“biān” biǎoshì mǒu gè dìfang huò wùtǐ de pángbiān wèizhì, cháng yòng lái zhǐchū fāngxiàng huò dìdiǎn.
It means the side or edge of a place or object, often used to point out a direction or location.
Context note
当我们说一个东西在另一个东西的旁边时，可以用“边”这个字。它常常用来表示位置，比如左边、右边、旁边。
Dāng wǒmen shuō yīgè dōngxi zài lìng yīgè dōngxi de pángbiān shí, kěyǐ yòng “biān” zhège zì. Tā chángcháng yòng lái biǎoshì wèizhì, bǐrú zuǒbiān, yòubiān, pángbiān.
This word is used when talking about the side or edge of something, often to describe location. It appears in common place words like left side, right side, or beside.
5 examples
桌子的边
zhuōzi de biān
the edge of the table
两边的树
liǎng biān de shù
trees on both sides
左边的书包
zuǒ biān de shūbāo
the backpack on the left side
两边都有花
liǎng biān dōu yǒu huā
there are flowers on both sides
桌子的边上有画
zhuōzi de biān shàng yǒu huà
there is a painting on the edge of the table
5 mini stories
小明坐在椅子边上。他看着书包在另一边。
xiǎo míng zuò zài yǐ zhǐ de biān shàng. tā kàn zhe shū bāo zài lìng yī biān.
Xiaoming sat on the edge of a chair. He looked at his backpack on the other side.
妈妈把花瓶放在桌子的边上。爸爸在另一边放了一个闹钟。
māma bǎ huāpíng fàng zài zhuōzi de biān shàng. dàbaba zài lìng yī biān fàng le yígè nào zhōng.
Mom put the flower vase on the edge of the table. Dad placed a clock on the other side.
姐姐站在门的两边。
jiějie zài zhàn dào mén de liǎng biān.
The older sister stood on both sides of the door.
两边都有树，但是左边的树更高。
liǎng biān dōu yǒu shù, dànshì zuǒ biān de shù gèng gāo.
There are trees on both sides, but the tree on the left side is taller.
两边的墙上有画。
liǎng biān de qiáng shàng yǒu huà.
There are paintings on the walls on both sides.
Mini dialogue
找东西
A
我的书包在哪儿？
Wǒ de shūbāo zài nǎr?
Where is my schoolbag?
B
在门的旁边。
Zài mén de pángbiān.
It's beside the door.
坐哪里
A
你想坐哪边？
Nǐ xiǎng zuò nǎ biān?
Which side do you want to sit on?
B
我想坐左边。
Wǒ xiǎng zuò zuǒbiān.
I want to sit on the left side.
Related words and contrasts
similar
旁边
pángbiān
beside, next to
Commonly used to mean 'next to'
similar
面
miàn
side, face
Used in words like 前面 (front) and 后面 (back)