Help with directions please...

[bmw_f1_power]

Hello,

I know how to say north/south/east/west in Chinese, but how do I say something (a place) is north of another place? Like Russia is north of China, or Beijing is northwest of Shanghai? Also if there are alternate ways of saying it, like Russia borders China on the north, please let me know.

Thanks

[xuechengfeng]

俄羅斯在中國的北邊。

E2luo2si1 zai4 zhong1guo2 de bei1bian1.

Literally

Russia at China (possessive) north side.

北京在上海的西北邊。

Bei3jing1 zai4 shang4hai3 de xi1bei3 bian1.

Literally

Beijing at Shanghai (possessive) west north side.

Chinese is opposite, so you don't say northwest, it's west-north. I'm not sure of other ways to say what you're asking.

[Adam]

北京在上海的西北邊.

would 西北面 be more correct?

Could you also use 位于 (to be located) in this pattern?

eg: 北京位于上海的西北面？

[xuechengfeng]

I don't know about the frequency of use, or what is "more correct," but I know that 邊﹐面 can both be used just about interchangeably for all direction words, with 頭 being used for a few as well.

[amperel]

or you could say xxx位於xxx(東 /南 /西 /北 )部 . i don't think i have seen 面 being used like that. i'm not sure about 邊. usually i use 部 for "big" things like a city - 邊 sounded like it's for "small" things like "besides"/"on the side of."

[madizi]

....................

Now I'm confused..... I always thought that 部 and 边 are used for different things. For example:

北京在上海的西北邊. Beijing is northwest of Shanghai.

北京在中国的北部. Beijing is in northern part of China.

In this way, 边 is used to determine where one place is located in relation to another place and 部 is used to determine the position of one place inside a bigger unit.

Am I right?

[xuechengfeng]

Madizi,

That's how I've been instructed.

[amperel]

部 is used to determine the position of one place inside a bigger unit.

don't mean to confuse anyone but yes you are right ... i think... now i'm confused! i just never thought about these things before. just thought the 邊 in 上海的西北邊 sounded strange to my ear. someone else should answer this.

[bmw_f1_power]

谢谢你们!

Your replies have been very helpful.

[madizi]

Where did you hear about this "big" and "small" things? Is this one of additional use of 邊 and 部?

[amperel]

well no one really sat me down and teach me how to use 邊/部. it's just my own impression of things when you've been around them long enough. 旁邊 is always used like "besides" - like 桌子的旁邊, 你旁邊, etc. (another usage of 邊 is used in 一邊xxx一邊xxx ~ xxx and xxx at the same time). but i guess 上海的西北邊 is ok - i can't think of any other words.

[madizi]

I see.