里
inside; in
lǐ
What does 里 mean?
里 (lǐ) is a location word meaning 'inside' or 'in.' In Chinese, location words follow the noun they refer to, the opposite of English: 'in the box' becomes 盒子里 (box-inside), 'in the room' is 房间里 (room-inside). 里 is the most common HSK 1 location word and pairs naturally with the verb 在 (zài 'to be at'): 我在家里 'I'm at home (inside).' It can also stand alone as part of compounds: 这里 (zhèlǐ 'here'), 那里 (nàlǐ 'there'), 哪里 (nǎlǐ 'where'). The synonym 里面 (lǐmiàn) means the same thing and is interchangeable in most spoken contexts. Note that 里 in traditional Chinese is sometimes 裡 or 裏 — in simplified Chinese, all three merge into 里.
Character breakdown
inside; in; (also) Chinese mile
Memory hook: Picture a box with something tucked away — 里 puts the contents 'inside' the noun that comes before it.
Example sentences
我在家里。
Wǒ zài jiā li.
I'm at home.
spoken
书在桌子里。
Shū zài zhuōzi li.
The book is in the desk.
neutral
这里有很多人。
Zhèlǐ yǒu hěn duō rén.
There are a lot of people here.
neutral
你的手机在哪里？
Nǐ de shǒujī zài nǎlǐ?
Where is your phone?
spoken
Common phrases with 里
Synonyms
里面 and 里 mean the same thing, but 里面 is more standalone — 'inside' as a noun. 里 is usually stuck right after the noun (盒子里). Saying 在盒子里面 vs 在盒子里 is nearly identical.
More formal/written equivalent of 里. Used in compounds like 室内 'indoors' or 国内 'domestic.' In casual speech, use 里.
Don't confuse 里 with
Same pinyin and tone, similar shape, but 理 means 'reason / logic / manage' (道理 'principle'). 里 is the location word.
中 means 'middle / center / in.' Overlaps with 里 sometimes (家中 ≈ 家里) but 中 is more written and feels more abstract. Use 里 in everyday speech.