▎-部-bù, or -邊-biān, Locative Markers

 

Function -部 refers to ‘sections’ of a region, and -邊 to ‘sides’ of a point of reference. In terms of a country, -部 refers to domestic areas, and -邊 to areas beyond borders.

1 台灣的北部、南部有很多好玩的地方。

Táiwān de běibù, nánbù yǒu hěn duō hǎowán de dìfāng.

There are lots of fun places in northern and southern Taiwan.

2 台灣東部的風景很美。

Táiwān dōngbù de fēngjǐng hěn měi.

The scenery in eastern Taiwan is beautiful.

3 台灣東邊的大海非常乾淨。

Táiwān dōngbiān de dà hǎi fēicháng gānjìng.

The ocean to the east of Taiwan is very clean.

4 那個地方西邊有山，南邊有海。

Nà ge dìfāng xībiān yǒu shān, nánbian yǒu hǎi.

To the west of that place there are mountains and to the south there is ocean.

 

Structures

 

Cardinal And Intermediate Points	Locative Suffix
東 east	邊/部 biān / bù
西 west
南 south
北 north
東南 southeast
東北 northeast
西南 southwest
西北 northwest

 

Usage There is 中部zhōngbù for ‘in the central region of’, but there is no ＊中邊 ＊zhōngbiān.