左边 (zuǒbiān) — left side; to the left

左边 (zuǒbiān)

左边 is a direction noun meaning "the left side." To say something is located to the left, use the structure 在 + [reference point] + 左边. When giving turn directions, use 向左 (turn left) or 往左走 (walk to the left) rather than 左边.

Meanings

1. [n] Left side; the left — location relative to a reference point or speaker.
2. [n] On the left — used with 在 to place objects in space.

Example Sentences

银行在邮局的左边。 Yínháng zài yóujú de zuǒbiān. The bank is to the left of the post office.

请坐在我的左边。 Qǐng zuò zài wǒ de zuǒbiān. Please sit on my left side.

学校在这条街的左边。 Xuéxiào zài zhè tiáo jiē de zuǒbiān. The school is on the left side of this street.

你的左边有一家咖啡店。 Nǐ de zuǒbiān yǒu yī jiā kāfēidiàn. There is a café on your left.

Collocations

Memory Hook

左 contains 工 (work) on top of a hand radical — remember "use your left hand at work" to lock in the meaning.