Definition

1. Noun:

   • Side, edge, face: One of two or more opposing or adjacent surfaces, directions, or positions relative to a central point or line.
   • Party, side: A person or group forming one of the opposing factions in a dispute, competition, or agreement.
   • Place, area: A location adjacent to or near another; the vicinity.

2. Preposition:

   • Beside, next to, by: At the side of; adjacent to.
   • At, to (someone's place): Used to indicate being at someone's home or location.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Anh ấy ngồi ở bên phải. (He sits on the right side.)
  • Hai bên đã ký kết hợp đồng. (The two parties have signed the contract.)
  • Nhà tôi ở bên sông. (My house is by the river.)

• Preposition:

  • Cô ấy đứng bên cửa sổ. (She is standing by the window.)
  • Chúng tôi sẽ gặp nhau bên nhà Lan. (We will meet at Lan's house.)

Advanced Usage

• "bên trong" / "bên ngoài": inside / outside.

  • Sự thật nằm bên trong. (The truth lies inside.)

• "bên cạnh": beside, next to; in addition to.

  • Anh ấy ngồi bên cạnh tôi. (He sits next to me.)
  • Bên cạnh công việc, anh ấy còn chơi thể thao. (In addition to work, he also plays sports.)

• "bên kia": the other side, over there.

  • Công viên nằm bên kia cây cầu. (The park is on the other side of the bridge.)

• "bên này": this side, over here.

  • Hãy đến bên này! (Come over to this side!)

Variants and Related Words

• Bên lề (adj/n): marginal, on the sidelines.

  • một sự kiện bên lề (a sideline event)

• Bên ngoại (n): maternal side (of family).

• Bên nội (n): paternal side (of family).

Synonyms

• Phía (n): side, direction.
• Mặt (n): side, face, aspect.
• Cạnh (n): side, edge.

Related Phrases (with 'bên')

• Đứng bên nhau: to stand side by side.

  • Chúng tôi sẽ đứng bên nhau trong khó khăn. (We will stand side by side in difficult times.)

• Bên trọng bên khinh: to favor one side over the other; to be biased.

  • Người lãnh đạo không nên bên trọng bên khinh. (A leader should not favor one side over the other.)

Related Idioms

• Bên cha cũng kính, bên mẹ cũng vái: (Lit. to respect the father's side and worship the mother's side). To show equal respect and care to both sides of the family; to try to please everyone.

  • Làm dâu khó, phải biết bên cha cũng kính, bên mẹ cũng vái. (Being a daughter-in-law is hard, you must know how to please everyone.)

• Ba bề bốn bên: (Lit. three sides four sides). From all sides/directions; everywhere.

  • Tiếng hát vang lên ba bề bốn bên. (The singing echoed from all sides.)

noun

1. Side, edge, face
   • hai bên đường
     the two roadsides
   • bên kia là núi, bên này là sông
     on the far side there are mountains, on the near side there is a river
   • mâu thuẫn bên trong
     inside contradictions, inner contradictions, internal contradictions
   • bên nguyên bên bị
     the side (party) of the plaintiff and that of the defendant
   • đứng bên nhau
     to stand side by side
   • tỉnh bên
     the province located at one's side, the nearby province
   • làng bên cạnh
     the village located at one's side, the nearby village