Writing
在 (zài) — how to say "to be at" in Chinese
在
To be at/in, to exist
verb · preposition · time adverb
How to use it
Goes after the subject, before the verb.
他在看书。
tā zài kàn shū
He is reading.
Radicals / Keys
土
Earth
#32 · tǔ · 3 strokes
Collocations
在学校
zài xuéxiào
at school
Examples
我在北京，你在哪儿？
I am in Beijing, where are you?
我在家
I am at home.
Mnemonic
[zài-] Zany Zebra is at the park, drawing 在 — a horizontal line 一 that he balances on, and a tree trunk 丨 supporting him 🌳. Zany Zebra imagines he is one with nature and finds himself being at peace everywhere he goes.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "to be at" in Chinese?
"to be at" in Chinese is 在 (zài).
在 meaning in English
在 (zài) means "To be at/in, to exist".
How is 在 pronounced?
It is pronounced zài (written as zai). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "to be at" in Chinese characters?
It is written 在 and has 6 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order and lets you trace it.
What HSK level is 在?
在 belongs to the HSK 1 vocabulary list.
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