Dictionary › 在

在

zài

Old HSK 1 HSK 3.0 character level 1 Character

在 (zài) means "at; in; on; to be (located) at". It is an HSK 3.0 level 1 word, and was HSK 1 in the old six-level list.

What 在 means

1. to exist; to be alive
2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at
3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress)

How 在 is used in grammar

在 is a grammar word. Each link goes to its own section: what it does in that pattern, the structure, three example sentences with pinyin, and the mistake to avoid.

• Location with 在: Where Things Are (HSK 1)
• Progressive Aspect: 在/正在 ... 呢 (HSK 1)
• Progressive Action: 正在…(呢) — Right Now (HSK 2)

The official HSK 3.0 grammar outline lists it at level 1, adverbs (时间副词); level 1, prepositions (引出时间、处所).

Example sentences

• 现在忙
  Xiànzài máng
  Busy right now.
• 我在。
  I'm here.
• 你在家吗
  Nǐ zài jiā ma
  Are you home?
• 您在家吗
  Nín zài jiā ma
  Are you home?
• 在下雨。
  It is raining.
• 我在家。
  I am at home.

Words starting with 在

• 在意zài yìto care about; to mind
• 在乎zài huto rest with; to lie in; to be due to (a certain attribute)…
• 在于zài yúto rest with; to lie in; to be due to (a certain attribute)…
• 在线zài xiànonline; connected to the Internet; (fig.) (coll.) (of a person) mentally focused…
• 在家zài jiāto be at home; (at a workplace) to be in…
• 在内zài nèi(included) in it; among them
• 在场zài chǎngto be present; to be on the scene
• 在校zài xiào(attributive) to be enrolled in a school (or university etc)
• 在座zài zuòto be present
• 在职zài zhíto be employed; to be in post; on-the-job
• 在世zài shìto be alive
• 在行zài hángto be adept at sth; to be an expert in a trade or profession
• 在建zài jiànunder construction
• 在即zài jínear at hand; imminent; within sight
• 在逃zài táoto be at large (of a criminal)
• 在位zài wèito be on the throne; to reign; to hold a particular leadership position
• 在先zài xiānto come first; previous; prior
• 在望zài wàngwithin view; visible; (fig.) in the offing; around the corner; soon to materialize
• 在理zài lǐreasonable; sensible
• 在编zài biān(of personnel or positions) having permanent status under China's official staffing…
• 在野zài yěto be out of (political) office; to be out of power
• 在所难免zài suǒ nán miǎnto be unavoidable (idiom)
• 在天之灵zài tiān zhī língsoul and spirit of the deceased
• 在野党zài yě dǎngopposition party

Words containing 在

• 现在xiàn zàinow; at present; currently
• 正在zhèng zàito be in the process of (doing sth); to be currently ...-ing
• 存在cún zàito exist; to be; existence
• 实在shí zàireally; actually; indeed
• 内在nèi zàiinner; internal; intrinsic
• 所在suǒ zàiplace; location; (after a noun) place where it is located
• 好在hǎo zàiluckily; fortunately
• 处在chǔ zàito be situated at; to find oneself at
• 自在zì zaicomfortable; at ease
• 不在乎bù zài hunot to care
• 所在地suǒ zài dìlocation; site
• 潜在qián zàihidden; potential; latent
• 何在hé zàiwhere?; what place?
• 同在tóng zàito be with
• 旨在zhǐ zàito have as its purpose; to be intended to; to aim to (do sth)
• 外在wài zàiexternal; extrinsic
• 心不在焉xīn bù zài yānabsent-minded; preoccupied; inattentive
• 自由自在zì yóu zì zàifree and easy (idiom); carefree; leisurely
• 不在意bù zài yìto pay no attention to; not to mind
• 放在心上fàng zài xīn shàngto care about; to take seriously; to take to heart
• 无处不在wú chù bù zàito be everywhere
• 满不在乎mǎn bù zài hunot in the least concerned (idiom); reckless; couldn't give a damn about it
• 历历在目lì lì zài mùvivid in one's mind (idiom)
• 放在眼里fàng zài yǎn lǐto pay attention to; to care about; to attach importance to

Characters that look like 在

Easy to confuse on sight. Compare them side by side once and the pair stops costing you.

• 再zàiagain; once more; re-; further; beyond this point of time; (before an adjective) more
• 报bàoto report; to inform; to announce; to respond; to reply; to sign up for…
• 库kùwarehouse; storehouse; (file) library
• 庄zhuāngfarmstead; village; manor
• 灰huīash; dust; lime
• 奂huànexcellent

Sounds the same

Read zài, tone for tone, but written differently.

• 再again; once more; re-; further; beyond this point of time; (before an adjective) more
• 载to carry; to convey; to load
• 縡matter; affair
• 傤load; cargo; old variant of 载
• 扗old variant of 在

Where 在 is taught

In the GraphChinese course it is part of Location Words (HSK 1), HSK 1 Characters · Set 2 (HSK 1), each one a topic in the dependency graph of HSK 1–6 that opens only once its prerequisites are solid.

Go deeper

• Every HSK 1 word, with the rest of its level.
• How characters are built from components.
• How to learn Chinese characters.
• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read zài correctly.
• Look up another word in the free dictionary.