How to Say Where in Chinese?

Where in Mandarin is 哪里 Nǎlǐ or 哪儿 Nǎr in Chinese. As it is a locational related question, the preposition 在 Zài which means “at/in/on” in English may precede before the two terms – 在哪里 Zài Nǎlǐ and 在哪儿 Zài Nǎr.

There are a few ways to ask Where in Mandarin by changing some of the words that accompany with 哪里 Nǎlǐ or 哪儿 Nǎr. Some Chinese terms are interchangeable because the Chinese language is quite flexible. For now, just try and understand the concept and idea of these phrases so you can deploy them more accurately.

How to Pronounce 哪儿 in Chinese Pinyin –  Nar or Na’Er?

Based on the Chinese character alone, the Pinyin for 哪儿 is Nǎ’er. However, 哪儿 Nǎr has a unique intonation where the character 儿 Er is not read out in a full sound Er (neutral tone).

The 儿 Er pronunciation should sound like an extension of 哪 Nǎ, a soft sound produced with a rolled tongue. There should not be a break of sound between 哪 and 儿.

In another word, the pronunciation should be smooth. Due to the peculiarity in uttering the 儿 sound in this word, it ends up with a Pinyin of Nǎr instead. Hence, it is the correct way to pronounce 哪儿 Nǎr.

Below are four sounds to help you listen to the difference between 哪，哪儿 and 儿 (default Pinyin – standalone intonation). You can make a comparison when hearing them in their own Pinyin.

Getting the Chinese Character 哪儿 Nar or Na’er on a Chinese Pinyin Keyboard

If you are using Pinyin to type Chinese characters on the laptop or mobile, by typing “Nar”, you would not be able to get the Mandarin word 哪儿 on your screen as “r” is not the default Pinyin spelling for 儿. Instead, input in “naer” or “nae” to get 哪儿.

Difference between 哪 and 那 | Na

Where in Mandarin 哪里 Nǎlǐ is one of the Interrogative Pronouns or Adverbs for asking questions. However, it is often written wrongly – 在那里 Zài nàlǐ which means “over there”. 那 Nà also means “that” in English in Chinese Demonstrative Pronouns.

You know now that the meaning is the not the same anymore if you write or say out wrongly, when in fact, what you wanted to express is “Where 在哪里 Zài Nǎlǐ” and not “在那里 Zài nàlǐ over there”.

Another difference is that both 哪 Nǎ and 那 Nà have different Pinyin intonation which you can hear and compare them in another Interrogative Pronoun – Which in Chinese. On a side note, Which in Mandarin 哪个 Nǎge is also using the same word 哪 Nǎ.

Simple Question Construction for Where in Mandarin

Where is the Place? 地方在哪里 / 哪儿？

地方在哪里 / 哪儿？Dìfāng zài nǎlǐ / nǎ’er? If Asking Questions in Chinese is one of the many reasons for learning Mandarin to use during travelling in Chinese-speaking countries like China and Taiwan, replace the POINT OF INTEREST to your desired location below. Voila! You have already learnt some questions on asking for directions in Chinese.

To sound more polite when asking questions in Mandarin, you can add in the word “May I know 请问 Qǐngwèn” at the start of the question.

1. Where is the + POINT OF INTEREST?

2. Where can I find the + POINT OF INTEREST?

Where is My Thing? 我的东西在哪里 / 哪儿？

我的东西在哪里 / 哪儿？Wǒ de dōngxī zài nǎlǐ / nǎ’er? Use the Chinese Possession Determiner – 的 De when you want to ask someone about your belonging.

3. Where is my + NOUN？

Interrogative Adverb – Where in Mandarin

Where in Chinese is an Interrogative Adverb if there is no other location or place specified.

Personal Pronouns + Where in Mandarin – 在哪里 / 在哪儿 

Chinese Interrogation sentence structure is not the same as English where most sentences can start with Interrogative Pronouns. When Subject Pronouns (I, he, she, we, they) is in a Chinese interrogative question, place them at the beginning of the sentence or immediately after 在哪里 / 在哪儿 Zài nǎlǐ / Zài nǎ’er. 

Note that in Mandarin, the Subject Pronouns uses the same Chinese words as the Object Pronouns (me, him, her, her, us, them). Naturally, the Object Pronouns in a Chinese sentence would usually be placed after the Subject Pronouns. Read more in Personal Pronouns (I vs Me).

Go Where in Mandarin – 去哪里 / 去哪儿

去哪里 / 去哪儿 Qù nǎlǐ / Qù nǎr literally means Go Where in Mandarin. 去 means go. Especially when a subject moves from Point A to Point B, you can use 去哪里 / 去哪儿 to ask for the location in Point B.

去 Qù will also replace the word 在 Zài before 哪里 and 哪儿.

From Where in Mandarin – 从哪里 / 从哪儿

从 Cóng asks for the source of origin. 从哪里 / 从哪儿 Cóng nǎlǐ / Cóng nǎr asks for the location of the person from where he comes. Usually, the term comes after the Subject.

Arrive Where in Mandarin – 到哪里 / 到哪儿

到哪里 / 到哪儿 Dào nǎlǐ / Dào nǎr is another way of asking Where in Mandarin. It has a connotation of destination or designated point for the content here because 到 Dào means “arrive” or “reach”.

It also has other meanings not related to a physical location. One example is “Until where have you read? 你读到哪里了？”

Used with a date such as yesterday which indicates the past, it would mean “went/have been to a place”. Combine with the word 了 Le suggests that the event is over.

We can also replace many sentences with 在哪里 / 哪儿 or 去哪里 / 哪儿 instead of 到哪里 / 到哪儿. Don’t be too concerned which is the correct one. If you use the wrong term, your Chinese speaking friend will correct you. At least, you have a variety of Mandarin phrases to use for Where in Mandarin.

Without Locational Preposition – 哪里 / 哪儿

Not all Where in Chinese sentences have to use 在, 去, 从, 到 + 哪里 / 哪儿 as a 3-word term like the quoted examples above. If the 4 locational preposition 在, 去, 从, 到 precedes another named location, then 哪里 / 哪儿 Nǎlǐ / Nǎr will be a standalone word in the sentence.

哪里 / 哪儿 Nǎlǐ / Nǎr has a close relationship with 在, 去, 从, 到. It makes sense that all these words are used at the same time so you do not repeat the same word in a sentence since they are interchangeable.

Where in Chinese – 什么地方 Shenme Difang

Another frequently used word for Where in Mandarin is 在什么地方 Zài shénme dìfāng, translated as “Which place”. 什么地方 Shénme dìfāng can almost replace all the words 哪里 / 哪儿 Nǎlǐ / Nǎr above if the question is referring to a physical location while retaining the four Chinese prepositions – 在, 去, 从, 到.

Receiving Compliment – 哪里哪里

When you receive a compliment from someone, other than the word Thank you 谢谢 Xiè xiè, you can say instead 哪里哪里 Nǎlǐ nǎlǐ. It may not make any sense to you for repeating “where where” two times in this context because it has no equivalent direct English meaning.

The term is more of a Chinese slang where you want to show your modesty by not feeling too proud about a compliment showered to you and has several English meanings. The person replying with 哪里哪里 Nǎlǐ nǎlǐ may feel an element of shyness, yet flattered.

If you want to speak like a native Chinese, this Mandarin phrase is one of those that you can use next time someone pays you a compliment.

After Where would come When. Check out the next article – How to Say When in Chinese?