在 zài
-
zài
verb
in; at
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
Notes: This sense of 在 indicates the location of the subject (NCCED '在' 2). For example, 祥子蹲在烤旁 'Xiangzi squatted besides the stove.'(Lao She, 2003, p. 216) In this example, the verb 蹲 'squat' precedes 在 but in some cases it may follow 在 after the location referred to. For example, 孩子...在院里玩耍... 'the child was in the courtyard playing.'(Lao She, 2003, p. 220) 在 is the seventh most frequently used word in the Beijing Language Institute's 1985 frequency wordlist (Ho 2002, '在'). -
zài
preposition
at
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语
Notes: In this sense, 在 helps to indicate time, place, direction or scope (Li Shaoqi, 2003, pp. 404-407; NCCED '在' 6) 1. Time: 在 may be placed before a verb, adjective, or the subject to introduce time. For example, 世卫组织表示将在十一月发布建议 'The World Health Organization said that they would publish a recommendation in November.' 2. Place. For example, 火箭在距发射台约九公里处 'when the rocket was at a location approximately 90 kilometers from the launch pad.' (VOA, 2015-12-23) 3. Scope. For example, 总统在演讲中... 'while the president was giving a speech ...' (VOA, 2007-7-5) -
zài
adverb
when; indicates that someone or something is in the process of doing something
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Function Words
Notes: (Li Shaoqi, 2003, p. 224; NCCED '在' 5; Ho 2002, '在' 3) For example, 科学家们一直在探寻... 'Scientists have been continuously searching ...' (VOA, 2015-07-25) -
zài
verb
to exist; to be living
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语
Notes: (NCCED '在' 5; Ho 2002, '在' 2) -
zài
verb
to consist of
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语
Notes: (NCCED '在' 5) -
zài
verb
to be at a post
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语
Notes: (NCCED '在' 5)
Contained in
- 毛出在羊身上 wool comes from the sheep's back; One gets the benefit, but the price has been paid.
- 不在其位不谋其政(不在其位不謀其政) don't meddle in affairs that are not part of your position (Confucius)
- 身在曹营心在汉(身在曹營心在漢) live in Cao camp but have the heart in Han camp; to be somewhere while longing to be somewhere else
- 有约在先(有約在先) to have a prior engagement
- 现在(現在) at present; in the process of
- 正在装置(正在裝置) under construction
- 安闲自在(安閑自在) leisurely and free; carefree and at ease
- 在生 while alive; during one's lifetime
- 在即 near at hand; imminent; within sight
- 近在眼前 right under one's nose; right in front of one's eyes; close at hand; imminent
- 在地下 underground
- 在理 reasonable; sensible
- 醉翁之意不在酒 wine-lover's heart is not in the cup; a drinker not really interested in alcohol; having an ulterior motive; to have other things in mind; with an ax to grind
- 一个幽灵在欧洲游荡(一個幽靈在歐洲遊蕩) Ein Gespenst geht um in Europa.
- 旨在 for with the purpose of
- 在野党(在野黨) opposition party
- 身在福中不知福 to live in plenty without appreciating it; not to know when one is well off
- 在座 to be present; to participate
- 无处不在(無處不在) to be everywhere
- 如鲠在喉(如鯁在喉) as if having a fish bone stuck in one's throat; very upset and needing to express one's displeasure
- 在身 to possess; to be occupied or burdened with (work, a contract, a lawsuit)
- 内在坐标(內在座標) intrinsic coordinates
- 你在添上几个(你在添上幾個) add on a few more
- 正在进行(正在進行) in process
- 不在 not here ; to be dead ; to not care about
- 成事在天 success depends on the will of Heaven
- 佛陀出生在人间(佛陀出生在人間) The Buddha was born in the human world
- 看在眼里(看在眼裡) to observe; to take it all in
- 在这期间(在這期間) during time; in this time
- 到现在(到現在) up until now; to date
- 历历在目(歷歷在目) vivid in one's mind
- 留得青山在,不怕没柴烧(留得青山在,不怕沒柴燒) While the green hills last, there'll be wood to burn . Where there's life there's hope.
- 在途 in transit
- 闲在(閑在) at leisure
- 在天之灵(在天之靈) soul and spirit of the deceased
- 潜在(潛在) hidden; secret; latent
- 妙在不言中 the charm lies in what is left unsaid
- 无限风光在险峰(無限風光在險峰) The boundless vista is at the perilous peak / exhilaration follows a hard-won victory
- 互相勾结在一起(互相勾結在一起) collude together
- 在真空中 in a vacuum
- 在此之际(在此之際) meanwhile; at the same time
- 正在要问(正在要問) just about to ask a question
- 胜利在望(勝利在望) victory is in sight
- 所在 place; location
- 大权在握(大權在握) to be in a position of power
- 危在旦夕 in danger from dawn to evening; imminent peril
- 其见在者(其見在者) those remaining
- 在朝 to act in a capacity
- 在外 outer
- 志在四方 to aspire to travel far and make one's mark
Also contained in
Word is mentioned most frequently in
Truncated for common words
- 卷五十 志第三 天文三 Volume 50 Treatises 3: Astronomy 3 History of Song 宋史 — count: 171
- 卷二十七上 志第十七上 曆三上 Volume 27a Treatises 18: Calendar 3a New Book of Tang 新唐書 — count: 158
- 卷五十一 志第四 天文四 Volume 51 Treatises 4: Astronomy 4 History of Song 宋史 — count: 153
- 卷三十八 志第十八: 地理一 Volume 38 Treatises 18: Geography 1 Old Book of Tang 舊唐書 — count: 149
- 卷十一 志第一 天文上 Volume 11 Treatises 1: Astronomy Part One Book of Jin 晉書 — count: 141
- 卷五十三 志第五: 曆二 Volume 53 Treatises 6: Calendar 2 History of Yuan 元史 — count: 131
- 卷十二 志第四 天文上 Volume 12 Treatises 4: Astronomy 1 Book of Southern Qi 南齊書 — count: 130
- 卷91 術藝:晁崇 張淵 殷紹 王早 耿玄 劉靈助 江式等 Volume 91: The Arts - Chao Chong, Zhang Yuan, Yin Shao, Wang Zao, Geng Xuan, Liu Lingzhu, Jiang Shi, and others Book of Wei 魏書 — count: 130
- 卷105之二 天象志一之二 Volume 105b Treatise 1: Celestial Phenomena 2 Book of Wei 魏書 — count: 129
- 卷一上 光武帝紀 Volume 1a: Annals of Emperor Guangwu Book of Later Han 後漢書 — count: 126
Collocations
- 在梁 (在梁) 敝笱在梁 — The Book of Songs 詩經, 國風‧齊‧敝笱 Lessons from the states - Odes of Qi - Bi Gou — count: 8
- 在水 (在水) 在水一方 — The Book of Songs 詩經, 國風‧秦‧蒹葭 Lessons from the states - Odes of Qin - Jian Jia — count: 6
- 在桑 (在桑) 鳲鳩在桑 — The Book of Songs 詩經, 國風‧曹‧鳲鳩 Lessons from the states - Odes of Cao - Shi Jiu — count: 5
- 鸠在 (鳩在) 鳲鳩在桑 — The Book of Songs 詩經, 國風‧曹‧鳲鳩 Lessons from the states - Odes of Cao - Shi Jiu — count: 4
- 在河 (在河) 在河之洲 — The Book of Songs 詩經, 國風‧周南‧關雎 Lessons from the states - Odes Of Zhou And The South - Guan Ju — count: 4
- 三星在 (三星在) 三星在天 — The Book of Songs 詩經, 國風‧唐‧綢繆 Lessons from the states - Odes of Tang - Chou Mo — count: 4
- 在浚 (在浚) 在浚 — The Book of Songs 詩經, 國風‧邶风‧凱風 Lessons from the states - Odes of Bei - Kai Feng — count: 4
- 在堂 (在堂) 蟋蟀在堂 — The Book of Songs 詩經, 國風‧唐‧蟋蟀 Lessons from the states - Odes of Tang - Xi Shuai — count: 4
- 在薮 (在藪) 叔在藪 — The Book of Songs 詩經, 國風‧鄭‧大叔于田 Lessons from the states - Odes of Zheng - Da Shu Yu Tian — count: 3
- 在南 (在南) 在南山之陽 — The Book of Songs 詩經, 國風‧召南‧殷其靁 Lessons from the states - Odes Of Shao And The South - Qin Qi Lei — count: 3