身边 shēn biān
“at one's side; on hand”
place word2021 list level 2Traditional 身邊
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
身边 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 826: 身边 shēnbiān — Level 3; official annotation 3 (名). PDF page 100
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 身边
身边 literally means 'at someone's side' and is used both physically (things or people right next to you) and figuratively (the people around you, what you have on hand). The common patterns are 在某人身边 and 身边的人／身边的事.
例句Example sentences
- 他生病的时候，家人一直在他身边。tā shēng bìng de shí hou, jiā rén yì zhí zài tā shēn biān.When he was ill, his family stayed by his side the whole time.
- 我身边的朋友都很喜欢运动。wǒ shēn biān de péng you dōu hěn xǐ huan yùn dòng.The friends around me all like sports a lot.
- 我的手机不在身边，你帮我看一下几点了。wǒ de shǒu jī bú zài shēn biān, nǐ bāng wǒ kàn yí xià jǐ diǎn le.My phone isn't with me — could you check what time it is?
易混词Easily confused
身边vs旁边
旁边 is purely physical 'beside, next to' and works for any object; 身边 usually involves a person as the reference point and can also mean the people around you or things you have with you.