Chinese–EnglishWith examples

在

zài · zai

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 1

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  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)
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In a conversation

0:21 cartoon

What are you doing?

  1. Dengdeng

    亮亮(liàngliàng)，你(nǐ)在(zài)做(zuò)什么(shénme)？

    Liangliang, what are you doing?

  2. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)在(zài)看书(kànshū)。你(nǐ)呢(ne)？

    I am reading. And you?

  3. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)在(zài)想(xiǎng)晚饭(wǎnfàn)吃(chī)什么(shénme)。

    I am thinking about what to eat for dinner.

  4. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)昨天(zuótiān)也(yě)在(zài)想(xiǎng)这个(zhège)。

    You were thinking about this yesterday too.

  5. Dengdeng

    对(duì)，我(wǒ)一直(yīzhí)在(zài)想(xiǎng)，还(hái)没(méi)想好(xiǎnghǎo)。

    Yes, I keep thinking, and I have not decided yet.

  6. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)在(zài)看(kàn)的(de)书(shū)，就(jiù)叫(jiào)《今天(jīntiān)吃(chī)什么(shénme)》。

    The book I am reading is called "What to Eat Today".

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

园(yuán)丁(dīng)在(zài)花(huā)园(yuán)的(de)中(zhōng)央(yāng)种(zhòng)了(le)一(yì)棵(kē)玫(méi)瑰(guī)树(shù)。

The gardener planted a rose tree in the middle of the garden.

Tatoeba: Chinese by fercheung · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

当(dāng)我(wǒ)在(zài)你(nǐ)这(zhè)个(ge)年(nián)纪(jì)时(shí)，冥(míng)王(wáng)星(xīng)是(shì)行(xíng)星(xīng)。

When I was your age, Pluto was a planet.

Tatoeba: Chinese by egg0073 · English by Zifre · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

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Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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