What is the difference between 这儿 and 这里?
这儿 and 这里 both mean "here"; 那儿 and 那里 both mean "there"; 哪儿 and 哪里 both mean "where". The 儿 forms are typical of northern, spoken Mandarin (Beijing); the 里 forms are more common in the south, in Taiwan and in writing. Use either and you will be understood everywhere. One fixed exception: when someone praises you, the modest reply is 哪里哪里, never 哪儿哪儿.
| 这儿 / 哪儿 | northern and colloquial: 你在哪儿？我在这儿。 |
|---|---|
| 这里 / 哪里 | southern, Taiwan and written Chinese; also the modest reply 哪里哪里 |
这儿 zhèr
From the readings on this site
- 我问他：“离这儿远吗？”I asked him, "Is it far from here?"HSK 2 · 问路
- 我又去附近的超市，问：“这儿有雨伞吗？”I go to the nearby supermarket again and ask: "Do you have umbrellas here?"HSK 2 · 有没有
- 一个学生对我说：“我要下车了，你坐这儿吧。”A student said to me, "I'm getting off soon — take my seat."HSK 2 · 坐公共汽车
这里 zhèlǐ
From the readings on this site
- 我在北京住了两年了，发现这里的四季很不一样。I've lived in Beijing for two years now, and I've found the four seasons here are all very different.HSK 3 · 北京的四季
- 刚来的时候，我很不习惯这里的天气和吃的东西。When I first arrived, I really wasn't used to the weather or the food here.HSK 3 · 南方和北方
- 这里的人说话很快，刚开始我几乎听不懂他们说的话。People here speak very fast; at first I could hardly understand what they were saying.HSK 3 · 南方和北方
