动词 + 在
dòng cí + zài
Special cases of "zai" following verbs
A small set of verbs — living, sitting, putting — take their place after the verb instead of before.
Verb + 在 + Place
How it works
我住在北京, 放在这里, 坐在椅子上. These break the usual rule that place phrases come first.
What they share is that the place is the endpoint or resting position, not the setting. 我在北京住 is possible but shifts the emphasis to where the living happens.
The verbs to watch are 住, 放, 坐, 站, 躺, 写, 挂.
Examples
wǒ zhù zài běi jīng
我住在北京。
I live in Beijing.
fàng zài zhè lǐ
放在这里。
Put it here.
tā zuò zài wǒ páng biān
他坐在我旁边。
He's sitting next to me.