<p>You are actually correct. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I wanted to say that the lake is in the northern part of the city. As 北部 means the northern part, I naturally thought that 湖在城市的北部</p>
</blockquote>

<p>城市的北边 is often considered outside of the city. </p>

<p>城市的北部 is often considered within the city. </p>

<p>I said <strong>often</strong>, so it's still possible that someone refers to <em>within the city</em> when they say 城市的北边 in a colloquial context. Sometimes, you have to check them again by asking <em>do you mean within or outside of the city?</em>.</p>

<p>My two cents. Hope it would help. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-27T01:28:16.823Z
2018-04-27T01:28:16.823Z
dan
<p>When you write a serious article, like city planning, or when you say it in a formal situation, 北部 is more used. Example: </p>

<ol>
<li>中国的北部有辽阔的土地。</li>
<li>这座城市的北部准备规划一个自然公园。</li>
</ol>

<p>And in our daily life, 北边 is used more often. 北边 is more casual.
Example:</p>

<ol>
<li>学校的北边有家商店。</li>
<li>快看！北边有架飞机飞过来了！</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-27T01:11:05.057Z
2018-04-27T01:11:05.057Z
user7175903
<p>那个湖在这个城市的北部。</p>

<p>你们中国人听到‘这个’或者‘那个’有什么区别马？</p>

<p>English has 'this (object close by)' 'that (object further away)</p>

<p>"that: From c. 1200 opposed to this as indicating something farther off.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-27T09:06:35.680Z
2018-04-27T09:06:35.680Z
Pedroski
<p>I wanted to say that the lake is in the northern part of the city. As 北部 means the northern part, I naturally thought that 湖在城市的北部 would be a correct way of putting it. But some people said that 湖在城市的北边 is the correct answer. As I know that 北边 can also be used to mean the northern part for architectural regions like campus, which also seems to apply to cities, now I am not so sure which one I have to use. Do I have to use 北边 or 北部?</p>
<h3>EDIT</h3>
<p>My question was more specific. 湖在城市的北部 would mean like that the lake is actually inside the city, but in the northern part of the city. 北边 means north, so I thought that saying 湖在城市的北边 would mean that the lake is to the north of the city, and outside the city. However, I learned that 北边 can also denote that something is inside a specific region if it is talking about an architectural region, which was why I was confused.</p>
<p>So in summary, I was asking if I have to use 北部 or 北边 in this sentence to mean that the lake is in the city, but in the northern part of the city.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-27T09:19:11.917Z
is user aware of the great deal of relevant information available in online dictionaries, in particular usage examples?  bkrs:  **北部**  (1) [north]
(2) 在某一明指或隐含的定向点以北的地区或国家
(3) 泛指一地、 一国的北方地区，一地的北方区域。相对于南部而言。
如：「桃、竹、苗地区，位于台湾的北部区域。」城市北部
re Northern part of a city, submit  **城市北部**  to iciba:  很多大学在城市北部.同时,这片柳树林在这个城市北部能有效缓冲冷空气向城市蔓延.公园位于该城市的北部.(E at site)  **城市北边**  iciba：这一条街是通往此城市北边的要道.奥运场馆在城市的北边.我教授的家,在尾张旭市, 名古屋北边一点的一个城市.（confirming "part" and "side" correspond well to C usage)
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-28T01:25:59.323Z
(as in English) both are possible,  e.g. (in) Chicago Northside (a part of Chicago) (在）芝加哥北边, to the north of a place: 在某地方的北边
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-28T09:25:24.323Z
"北部" always "within the city", but "北边" can be "outside or" or "within", it only stresses 'near the border'.
Daniel Yang
<grammar>
湖在城市的北部 or 湖在城市的北边?
# 湖在城市的北部 or 湖在城市的北边?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-27)

I wanted to say that the lake is in the northern part of the city. As 北部 means the northern part, I naturally thought that 湖在城市的北部 would be a correct way of putting it. But some people said that 湖在城市的北边 is the correct answer. As I know that 北边 can also be used to mean the northern part for architectural regions like campus, which also seems to apply to cities, now I am not so sure which one I have to use. Do I have to use 北边 or 北部?

### EDIT

My question was more specific. 湖在城市的北部 would mean like that the lake is actually inside the city, but in the northern part of the city. 北边 means north, so I thought that saying 湖在城市的北边 would mean that the lake is to the north of the city, and outside the city. However, I learned that 北边 can also denote that something is inside a specific region if it is talking about an architectural region, which was why I was confused.

So in summary, I was asking if I have to use 北部 or 北边 in this sentence to mean that the lake is in the city, but in the northern part of the city.

**Tags:** grammar

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: is user aware of the great deal of relevant information available in online dictionaries, in particular usage examples?  bkrs:  **北部**  (1) [north] (2) 在某一明指或隐含的定向点以北的地区或国家 (3) 泛指一地、 一国的北方地区，一地的北方区域。相对于南部而言。 如：「桃、竹、苗地区，位于台湾的北部区域。」城市北部 re Northern part of a city, submit  **城市北部**  to iciba:  很多大学在城市北部.同时,这片柳树林在这个城市北部能有效缓冲冷空气向城市蔓延.公园位于该城市的北部.(E at site)  **城市北边**  iciba：这一条街是通往此城市北边的要道.奥运场馆在城市的北边.我教授的家,在尾张旭市, 名古屋北边一点的一个城市.（confirming "part" and "side" correspond well to C usage)  
> **username_1**: (as in English) both are possible,  e.g. (in) Chicago Northside (a part of Chicago) (在）芝加哥北边, to the north of a place: 在某地方的北边  
> **username_2**: "北部" always "within the city", but "北边" can be "outside or" or "within", it only stresses 'near the border'.  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-04-27. Score: 7

You are actually correct.

> I wanted to say that the lake is in the northern part of the city. As 北部 means the northern part, I naturally thought that 湖在城市的北部

城市的北边 is often considered outside of the city.

城市的北部 is often considered within the city.

I said **often**, so it's still possible that someone refers to *within the city* when they say 城市的北边 in a colloquial context. Sometimes, you have to check them again by asking *do you mean within or outside of the city?*.

My two cents. Hope it would help.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2018-04-27. Score: 3

When you write a serious article, like city planning, or when you say it in a formal situation, 北部 is more used. Example:

1. 中国的北部有辽阔的土地。
2. 这座城市的北部准备规划一个自然公园。

And in our daily life, 北边 is used more often. 北边 is more casual.
Example:

1. 学校的北边有家商店。
2. 快看！北边有架飞机飞过来了！


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### Answer by username_5 on 2018-04-27. Score: 1

那个湖在这个城市的北部。

你们中国人听到‘这个’或者‘那个’有什么区别马？

English has 'this (object close by)' 'that (object further away)

"that: From c. 1200 opposed to this as indicating something farther off.


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