面 miàn — fade; side; surface; aspect; top; face
桌面上放着一台电脑。Zhuō miàn shàng fàng zhe yì tái diàn nǎo.There is a computer on the desk.
Common words: 后面 (hòu mian)、前面 (qián miàn)、见面 (jiàn miàn)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "side"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "side", including 面 (miàn), 向 (xiàng), 边 (biān), 测 (cè), 旁 (páng), 侧 (cè / zhāi). Study pinyin, English meanings…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "side" covers 6 different Chinese characters — 面 (miàn), 向 (xiàng), 边 (biān), 测 (cè), 旁 (páng), 侧 (cè / zhāi) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 6 characters do not share a sound — their readings span miàn, xiàng, biān, cè, páng, zhāi — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 面 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 面 miànfade; side; surface; aspect; top; faceUseful words: 后面, 前面
- 向 xiàngdirection; part; side; towards; to; guideUseful words: 方向, 向前
- 边 biānside; edge; margin; border; boundaryUseful words: 一边, 旁边
- 测 cèside; to lean; to survey; to measure; conjectureUseful words: 测试, 检测
- 旁 pángbeside; one side; other; side; selfUseful words: 旁边, 一旁
Common words for these 6 "side" characters
Anchor each of these 6 characters in a word you can picture — start with 面 (miàn) — so "side" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
后面hòu mianthe back; the rear; the last bit; behind前面qián miànahead; in front; preceding; above见面jiàn miànto meet; to see each other方向fāng xiàngdirection; orientation向前xiàng qiánforward; onward一向yī xiànga period of time in the recent past; (indicating a period of time up to the present) all along; the whole time一边yī biānone side; either side; on the one hand; on the other hand旁边páng biānside; adjacent place那边nà bianover there; yonder测试cè shìto test (machinery etc); to test (a person's skill in a particular area); a test; (computing) beta (version of software)
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 6 ways to say "side".
向 xiàng — direction; part; side; towards; to; guide
请向前走两百米。Qǐng xiàng qián zǒu liǎng bǎi mǐ.Please walk forward two hundred meters.
Common words: 方向 (fāng xiàng)、向前 (xiàng qián)、一向 (yī xiàng)
边 biān — side; edge; margin; border; boundary
学校旁边有一家书店。Xué xiào páng biān yǒu yì jiā shū diàn.There is a bookstore next to the school.
Common words: 一边 (yī biān)、旁边 (páng biān)、那边 (nà bian)
测 cè — side; to lean; to survey; to measure; conjecture
老师下周要给我们做一次小测验。Lǎo shī xià zhōu yào gěi wǒ men zuò yí cì xiǎo cè yàn.The teacher will give us a quiz next week.
Common words: 测试 (cè shì)、检测 (jiǎn cè)、预测 (yù cè)
旁 páng — beside; one side; other; side; self
他坐在我旁边。Tā zuò zài wǒ páng biān.He sits next to me.
Common words: 旁边 (páng biān)、一旁 (yī páng)、旁观 (páng guān)
侧 cè / zhāi — the side; to incline towards; to lean; inclined; lateral; side
大楼的两侧都种着大树。Dà lóu de liǎng cè dōu zhòng zhe dà shù.Big trees are planted on both sides of the building.
Common words: 侧面 (cè miàn)、两侧 (liǎng cè)、侧重 (cè zhòng)
All 6 characters
Open 面、向、边 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.