Location Word: 下 (xià) - Under/Below

In English, we use prepositions. We say "under the chair." In Chinese, 下 is a postposition. This means it comes after the noun. You name the object first, then you describe the location. It is like pointing at a table and then pointing at the space beneath it. You can use just 下, or you can use its longer cousins: 下面 (xiàmiàn) or 下边 (xiàbiān). They all mean roughly the same thing. 下面 is very common in daily speech. 下边 is also popular, especially in northern China. Using them correctly makes you sound like a local immediately.

1. 1Creating a phrase with 下 is as easy as making a sandwich. Just follow these three steps:
2. 2Start with your Noun (the object everything is under).
3. 3(Optional) Add the particle 的 (de) for extra clarity, though it is often dropped.
4. 4Add 下, 下面, or 下边 at the end.
5. 5The basic formula looks like this: [Noun] + (的) + 下/下面/下边.
6. 6For example: 桌子 (table) + 下 (under) = 桌子下 (under the table).
7. 7If you want to say "The cat is under the table," you say: 猫在桌子下面 (Māo zài zhuōzi xiàmiàn).

You will use this pattern in three main scenarios. First, for physical locations. This is the most common. Use it when something is physically beneath something else. "The keys are under the book." "I am standing under the tree." Second, use it for abstract conditions. This is a bit more advanced but very cool. You can be "under the leadership" of someone or "under the help" of a friend. Third, use it for status or levels. If something is "below" a certain standard or temperature, 下 is your friend. For example, 零下 (língxià) means "below zero." It is a versatile little word that covers a lot of ground.

Do not use 下 when you are talking about movement downwards as a verb. If you want to say "go down," you need a verb like 下楼 (xiàlóu). 下 in this context is part of a verb phrase, not a location word. Also, do not use it when the location is already implied by the verb. For instance, if you are already using a word that means "to sink," you might not need to specify "under the water" if it is obvious. Finally, avoid putting 下 before the noun. If you say 下桌子, you are not saying "under the table." You might be telling the table to get down! Tables are notoriously bad listeners.

The biggest trap is the English word order. You might want to say "under the bed" and think 下床. While 下床 is a phrase (meaning to get out of bed), it does not mean "under the bed." You must say 床下. Another mistake is forgetting the verb 在 (zài). If you want to say "It is under the chair," you need 在椅子下面. Without 在, your sentence is just a fragment. Yes, even native speakers mess this up when they are in a hurry, but as a learner, you want to get the structure solid first. Think of 在 as the glue that holds the object and the location together.

You might wonder about 底下 (dǐxià). This is very similar to 下面. However, 底下 feels a bit more "at the very bottom." If you lose a coin at the very bottom of a pile of clothes, 底下 is perfect. 下 is the general term. 下面 is the standard term. You also have 上 (shàng), which is the exact opposite. If 下 is the floor, 上 is the ceiling. They follow the exact same rules. If you can use 下, you can use 上. It is a "buy one, get one free" deal for your brain! Just swap the direction and you are good to go.