Locate things with 里 and 外
里 / 外
How it works
里 places something inside a reference place; 外 places it outside. Put the location word after the place it describes, then use 在 to locate the thing.
The reference place must fit the intended relation. 书包里 means “inside the schoolbag,” while 书包外 means “outside the schoolbag.”
The pattern
Example sentences
书在书包里。
The book is in the schoolbag.
他在学校外。
He is outside the school.
Pinyin generally shows dictionary tones; tones can change in connected speech.
What to watch for
Use the Chinese order 学校外, not 外学校. Do not translate English “outside” word by word.
Try it
Put 里 in the right place: 杯子在书包。
Show answer
杯子在书包里。 Bēizi zài shūbāo lǐ. The cup is in the schoolbag.
Syllabus reference
The topic is listed in the official 2025 syllabus. The explanation, examples and practice on this page are written for SenMandarin.
SenMandarin · Updated 2026-10-22