bié zài zhèlǐ tiào.

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Breakdown of bié zài zhèlǐ tiào.

• 别bié: don't
• 这里zhèli: here
• 跳tiào: to jump

Questions & Answers about bié zài zhèlǐ tiào.

What does 别 mean here?

别 is used to tell someone not to do something. In this sentence, it makes the sentence a negative command:

• 别跳 = don’t jump
• 别在这里跳 = don’t jump here

A very close alternative is 不要, as in 不要在这里跳, but 别 is shorter and very common in everyday speech.

Why is the sentence ordered 别 在 这里 跳 instead of 别 跳 在 这里?

Chinese usually puts the location before the main verb.

So the pattern is:

• 别 + 在 + place + verb

In this sentence:

• 别 = don’t
• 在这里 = here / in this place
• 跳 = jump

So Chinese says something closer to Don’t here jump in word order, even though natural English is Don’t jump here.

Is 在 necessary? Why can’t I just say 别这里跳?

Yes, 在 is needed here.

在 marks the location where the action happens.
So:

• 在这里 = here / in this place
• 别在这里跳 = Don’t jump here

别这里跳 is not natural Chinese.

If you say only 别跳, that means Don’t jump, without mentioning any place.

Why is there no subject like ?