下 xià — under; second (of two parts); next (week; etc.); lower; below
请把书放在桌子下面。Qǐng bǎ shū fàng zài zhuō zi xià mian.Please put the book under the table.
Common words: 下午 (xià wǔ)、下次 (xià cì)、下班 (xià bān)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "next"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "next", including 下 (xià), 明 (míng), 次 (cì). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "next" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 下 (xià), 明 (míng), 次 (cì) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span xià, míng, cì — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 下 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 下 xiàunder; second (of two parts); next (week; etc.); lower; belowUseful words: 下午, 下次
- 明 míngclear; bright; to understand; next; the Ming dynastyUseful words: 明天, 明白
- 次 cìnth; number (of times); order; sequence; next; second(ary)Useful words: 下次, 上次
Common words for these 3 "next" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 下 (xià) — so "next" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "next".
明 míng — clear; bright; to understand; next; the Ming dynasty
明天是个晴天。Míng tiān shì ge qíng tiān.Tomorrow will be a sunny day.
Common words: 明天 (míng tiān)、明白 (míng bai)、明年 (míng nián)
次 cì — nth; number (of times); order; sequence; next; second(ary)
这是我第一次来中国。Zhè shì wǒ dì yī cì lái Zhōng guó.This is my first time coming to China.
Common words: 下次 (xià cì)、上次 (shàng cì)、其次 (qí cì)
All 3 characters
Open 下、明、次 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.