The location verb 在 zài ‘be located at’ 11.7
11.6.4 negation of 有 yIu
The negation of 有 yǒu is always 没有/沒有 méi yǒu.
我没有弟弟。
我沒有弟弟。
Wǒ méi yǒu dìdi.
I do not have a younger brother.
房子后头没有湖。
房子後頭沒有湖。
Fángzi hòutou méi yǒu hú.
There is no lake behind the house.
这个图书馆没有很多中文书。
這個圖書館沒有很多中文書。
Zhège túshūguǎn méi yǒu hěn duō Zhōngwén shū.
This library does not have a lot of Chinese books.
There aren’t a lot of Chinese books in this library.
C27.1.211.7 The location verb 在 zài ‘be located at’
To indicate location, use 在 zài.
他在家。
Tā zài jiā.
He is at home.
图书馆在公园的北边。
圖書館在公園的北邊。
Túshūguǎn zài gōngyuán de běibiān.
The library is north of the park.
Notice that English uses the verb ‘be’ and the preposition ‘at’ to express this meaning.
The negation for 在 zài is 不在 bù zài.
他不在家。
Tā bù zài jiā.
He is not at home.
图书馆不在公园的北边。
圖書館不在公園的北邊。
Túshūguǎn bù zài gōngyuán de běibiān.
The library is not to the north of the park.
在 zài also functions as a preposition. As a preposition, it indicates the location where an action
occurs. Depending upon the sentence, it may be translated into English as ‘at,’ ‘in,’ or ‘on.’
他在家吃饭。
他在家吃飯。
Tā zài jiā chī fàn.
He eats at home.
孩子在公园里玩。
孩子在公園裏玩。
Háizi zài gōngyuán lǐ wán.
The children play in the park.
C14, 47.1