那儿

• Pinyin: nàr
• Hanzi breakdown: 那 = demonstrative pronoun (that); 儿 = colloquial suffix

Meaning

There; that place. A colloquial variant of 那里, common in northern Mandarin.

Functionally identical to 那里 but uses the northern 儿 suffix. Very common in Beijing dialect and everyday spoken Mandarin. The counterpart of 这儿 (here).

Examples

1. 我在那儿等了半天。 I waited there for a long time.
2. 那儿有一家不错的饭馆。 There's a nice restaurant over there.
3. 别去那儿了。 Don't go there.

Usage Guide

Context: location, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 从那儿走过去就到了。(Walk from there and you'll arrive.)
• 我把东西放在那儿了。(I put the things over there.)

Don't Say

• 那儿里有商店。(Redundant — 那儿 already means 'there'; don't add 里)

Origin & History

A colloquial form of 那里, where the 儿 suffix replaces 里 as is typical in northern Chinese dialects.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal