(zài) - at, in, on; to be located at; progressive marker in Mandarin
zàiTraditional: 在
Translation
at, in, on; to be located at; progressive marker
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Word origin
在 (zài) means 'to be at, in, on'. It is a phono-semantic compound combining 土 (tǔ, 'earth') for the sense of location with 才 (cái) supplying the sound.
- Origin
- phono-semantic compound
- Root
- 土 (tǔ, 'earth', for location) + 才 (cái, phonetic)
Stroke order
在
Examples
。
I am at home.
。
He is watching television.
。
The book is on the table.
。
The children are playing in the garden.
。
The answer is in this book.
在 (zài) marks location, existence, or an action in progress, and is one of the most used words in Mandarin.
Where this fits
Appears in 10 words
Multi-character compounds in the corpus that contain 在.
Used in
Stories
(56)孙老师说可以
1 min read · Core 1000
一点
1 min read · Core 1000
在吗？
2 min read · Core 1000
发错了
2 min read · Core 1000
买票
2 min read · Core 5000
面试
2 min read · Core 5000
我只想买花
2 min read · Core 1000
天安门在哪儿？
2 min read · Core 5000
在浩轩的家
2 min read · Core 5000
小宇妈妈
2 min read · Core 1000
错过公交车
3 min read · Core 1000
打电话
3 min read · Core 1000
电影还是公园
3 min read · Core 5000
小公园里的音乐
3 min read · Core 1000
看医生
3 min read · Core 1000
迷路
3 min read · Core 1000
去长城
3 min read · Core 5000
上班第一天
3 min read · Core 1000
生日的惊喜
3 min read · Core 1000
手机在哪儿
3 min read · Core 5000
春节的饺子
3 min read · Core 5000
吴涛的新家
3 min read · Core 5000
今天我是校长
3 min read · Core 5000
下雨的下午
3 min read · Core 1000
今年回谁家？
3 min read · Core 1000
新工作的第一天
3 min read · Core 1000
新邻居
3 min read · Core 1000
新学生
3 min read · Core 5000
早上的市场
3 min read · Core 1000
端午节在新加坡
4 min read · Core 5000
寒假去台湾
4 min read · Core 5000
兼职面试
4 min read · Core 5000
老样子
4 min read · Core 1000
香港的暑假
4 min read · Core 5000
别人的信
5 min read · Core 5000
错过的火车
5 min read · Core 5000
火车晚了两个小时
5 min read · Core 5000
等了三年
5 min read · Core 5000
都变了
5 min read · Core 5000
山不见了
5 min read · Core 5000
后面的字
5 min read · Core 5000
今天不开门
5 min read · Core 5000
看场合
5 min read · Core 1000
最老的门
5 min read · Core 5000
楼上的声音
5 min read · Core 5000
那件事
5 min read · Core 5000
那两分呢？
5 min read · Core 5000
小芳的钥匙
5 min read · Core 5000
三天
5 min read · Core 5000
我老公找路
5 min read · Core 5000
欢迎再来
5 min read · Core 5000
三条腿
5 min read · Core 5000
一直开
5 min read · Core 5000
有钱没时间
5 min read · Core 5000
中间的树
5 min read · Core 5000
走廊上的翻译
5 min read · Core 5000
Grammar articles
(39)Mandarin Aspect Markers: 了, 过, 在 and 着 Instead of Tense
Mandarin 把 (bǎ) Construction: Rules, Examples, Mistakes
不是…而是, 不是…就是 and 既然…就 in Mandarin
Mandarin Grammar Cheatsheet: The Essentials, One Page
Mandarin Co-verbs: 从, 到, 在, 用, 给, 离 as Prepositions
Although in Mandarin: 虽然…还是, 不过 and 还是
Mandarin Verb Conjugation: Why There Isn't Any
Mandarin Conjunctions: 虽然…但是, 因为…所以 and More
The Mandarin Copula 是 (shì): To Be, and When to Leave It Out
Mandarin Demonstratives: 这 (zhè) and 那 (nà) With Examples
The Mandarin Particle 着 (zhe): States That Continue
Even Though and Even If in Mandarin: 虽然, 即使, 就算
There Is in Mandarin: 有, 来了一个人, 出现 and 发生
Formal Mandarin Connectives: 然而, 因此, 于是 and 尽管
Mandarin Future Tense: 会, 要, 打算 and 快要...了
Intermediate Mandarin Grammar (B1-B2, HSK 4-5)
Mandarin Interrogative Pronouns: 谁, 什么, 哪 and 'Anyone'
就 (jiù) vs 才 (cái) in Mandarin: Early vs Late
How to Use 了 (le) in Mandarin: Completion vs Change
Mandarin 在 vs 有: Location, Existence and 上/下/里
Mandarin Modal Verbs: 会, 能, 可以, 想, 要 and 应该
Mandarin Time, Dates and Money: 点, 年月日 and 块
Possession in Mandarin: 的 (de) for My, Your and His
Mandarin Possession with 有 (yǒu): To Have
Mandarin Question Words: 什么, 谁, 哪儿 and the Full List
Mandarin Relative Clauses: The Clause Goes Before 的
Mandarin Imperatives and Polite Requests: 请, 别, 吧
Mandarin Rhetorical Questions: 难道, 不是...吗, 何必 and 岂不
Mandarin Sentence-Final Particles: 吧, 呢, 啊, 嘛 and 吗
Mandarin Serial Verbs: 我去商店买东西 and Verb Order
The Mandarin 是…的 (shì...de) Construction: When, Where, How
Mandarin Slang: Chinese Internet Words Textbooks Skip
Unless and In Case in Mandarin: 除非, 万一 and 要不是
Mandarin Verb-Object Verbs: Why 'To Eat' Is 吃饭
Chinese Sentence Structure: Mandarin Word Order Rules
Mandarin 也 (yě) and 都 (dōu): Also, All, and Where They Go
又 vs 再 vs 还 in Mandarin: Three Ways to Say Again
The Mandarin 于 (yú) Family: 对于, 关于, 由于, 至于, 属于, 位于, 终于
Mandarin 之 (zhī): 之一, 之间, 三分之一 and 总之
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Mandarin · Free printables
在: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "在" (at, in, on; to be located at; progressive marker): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
This word is taught in chapter 1, lesson 2: First words for sentences.