Prepositions in Mandarin Chinese show relationships like location, time, direction, cause, and manner. This guide covers the most useful ones with short examples.
Key Prepositions
Prepositions are usually small words that come before a noun, pronoun, or phrase to signal a relationship. Some require that you follow them with a particular structure.
在 (zài) — Location / Time
Use zài (在) to indicate where something happens or to mark a point in time. It typically precedes a place noun or a time expression.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 我现在在家工作。 | Wǒ xiànzài zài jiā gōngzuò. | I am working at home now. | |
| 📚 书在桌子上。 | Shū zài zhuōzi shàng. | The book is on the table. | |
| 🕒 会议在三点开始。 | Huìyì zài sān diǎn kāishǐ. | The meeting starts at three o’clock. |
I was at home yesterday.
从 (cóng) — Starting Point / Source
Cóng (从) marks the origin of an action in space, time, or source. It is followed by the place, time, or thing where something begins.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏢 我从公司出发。 | Wǒ cóng gōngsī chūfā. | I set off from the company. | |
| 🏞️ 我们从公园开始跑步。 | Wǒmen cóng gōngyuán kāishǐ pǎobù. | We started running from the park. | |
| 📧 邮件是从经理发的。 | Yóujiàn shì cóng jīnglǐ fā de. | The email was sent from the manager. |
到 (dào) — Destination / Time
Use dào (到) to show arrival at a place or an endpoint in time. It comes before the place or time that serves as the goal.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏬 我到了商场。 | Wǒ dào le shāngchǎng. | I arrived at the mall. | |
| 🚌 公交车到站了。 | Gōngjiāo chē dào zhàn le. | The bus has arrived at the stop. | |
| ⏰ 我要做到晚上十点。 | Wǒ yào zuò dào wǎnshàng shí diǎn. | I have to work until ten at night. |
给 (gěi) — Indirect Object / Recipient
Gěi (给) often introduces the person who receives something or benefits from an action. It can precede a noun or pronoun.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🎁 我给同事买了礼物。 | Wǒ gěi tóngshì mǎi le lǐwù. | I bought a gift for my colleague. | |
| 📨 请给我发一封邮件。 | Qǐng gěi wǒ fā yì fēng yóujiàn. | Please send me an email. | |
| ☕ 她给我拿了一杯咖啡。 | Tā gěi wǒ ná le yì bēi kāfēi. | She got me a cup of coffee. |
跟 (gēn) — With / Compared To
Gēn (跟) signals accompaniment or comparison. It is used before a noun or pronoun that indicates the other party.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🚶 我跟朋友一起去吃饭。 | Wǒ gēn péngyǒu yìqǐ qù chīfàn. | I’m going to eat with my friend. | |
| 📊 这个方案跟上次不一样。 | Zhège fāng’àn gēn shàng cì bù yíyàng. | This plan is different from last time. | |
| 🐶 她跟同事的狗很亲。 | Tā gēn tóngshì de gǒu hěn qīn. | She is very friendly with her colleague’s dog. |
为 (wèi) — For / Because Of
Wèi (为) marks the beneficiary of an action or the cause/reason. It precedes the noun or phrase that receives the benefit or that explains the motive.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📝 我为客户写了报告。 | Wǒ wèi kèhù xiě le bàogào. | I wrote a report for the client. | |
| 🌧️ 会议因为下雨延期了。 | Huìyì yīnwèi xiàyǔ yánqī le. | The meeting was postponed because of the rain. | |
| 🙏 谢谢你为我准备资料。 | Xièxiè nǐ wèi wǒ zhǔnbèi zīliào. | Thank you for preparing the materials for me. |
关于 (guānyú) — About / Regarding
Guānyú (关于) introduces a topic or reference. It comes before the thing being talked about, such as a noun, phrase, or clause.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📄 邮件是关于明天的会议。 | Yóujiàn shì guānyú míngtiān de huìyì. | The email is about tomorrow’s meeting. | |
| 🗣️ 他做了一个关于市场的演讲。 | Tā zuò le yí gè guānyú shìchǎng de yǎnjiǎng. | He gave a speech regarding the market. | |
| 🔍 我们需要更多关于产品的信息。 | Wǒmen xūyào gèng duō guānyú chǎnpǐn de xìnxī. | We need more information about the product. |
以 (yǐ) — By / With / In Order To
Yǐ (以) is a more formal preposition meaning "by," "with," or "in order to." It often appears in written language and precedes a method, standard, or purpose.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📞 他以电话确认了时间。 | Tā yǐ diànhuà quèrèn le shíjiān. | He confirmed the time by phone. | |
| 🛠️ 我们以新的方法解决了问题。 | Wǒmen yǐ xīn de fāngfǎ jiějué le wèntí. | We solved the problem with a new method. | |
| 🎯 为了完成任务，我加班了。 | Wèile wánchéng rènwù, wǒ jiābān le. | In order to finish the task, I worked overtime. |
Summary
Prepositions like zài (在), cóng (从), dào (到), gěi (给), gēn (跟), wèi (为), guānyú (关于), and yǐ (以) consistently mark relations such as location, time, direction, recipient, accompaniment, cause, topic, and method. Practice placing them before nouns or phrases that fit their role to make your sentences clear and natural.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025