Chinese word

身边

Pronunciation

Pinyinshēn biān

Meaning

  • nounby one's side

Example

请把手机放在身边。qǐng bǎ shǒu jī fàng zài shēn biān

Please put the phone by your side.

Illustration for 身边 (by one's side)

More examples

遇到困难时，她会向身边的人寻求帮助。yù dào kùn nán shí tā huì xiàng shēn biān de rén xún qiú bāng zhù

When she has trouble, she asks the people by her side for help.

Core concept

The close space immediately beside a person, where a companion or object stays easy to see, touch, or take.

Common phrases

  • 身边的人shēn biān de rén

    people by one's side

  • 身边的帮助shēn biān de bāng zhù

    help close at hand

  • 身边的东西shēn biān de dōng xī

    things around you

Similar words

旁边páng biān: The space right next to a person or thing.
附近fù jìn: A nearby area around a particular place.

Definition in Chinese

靠近自己身体的地方或范围，指人在自己附近或物品放在身旁的近接位置。kào jìn zì jǐ shēn tǐ de dì fāng huò fàn wéi zhǐ rén zài zì jǐ fù jìn huò wù pǐn fàng zài shēn páng de jìn jiē wèi zhì

Word origin

身 (shēn, "body") + 边 (biān, "side") literally points to the space at the body's side, giving the word its sense of something close at hand or in one's immediate surroundings.

Usage tips

  • English often uses a person's side mainly for companionship, while this Chinese noun also labels the practical place where a phone or other item is kept close.

Other meanings

  • within reachnoun
  • surroundingsnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 身边人shēn biān rénpeople close to younoun

Word lists with this word