gébì: 隔壁 - Next Door, Neighbor

• Keywords: gebi, 隔壁, Chinese for neighbor, next door in Chinese, gebi meaning, Chinese neighbor, 邻居 (linju), Chinese community, what is gebi laowang, 隔壁老王, Chinese word for next door
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 隔壁 (gébì), which means “next door” and also refers to your “neighbor.” This guide breaks down its characters, cultural significance (from traditional community values to the modern internet meme “隔壁老王”), and practical usage. Discover how this simple word reflects deep ideas about community and relationships in China, and learn to use it correctly in everyday conversation with over 10 example sentences.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): gébì
• Part of Speech: Noun / Adjective (locational)
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: The physical space next door, or the people who occupy that space (the neighbors).
• In a Nutshell: 隔壁 (gébì) is the most common and direct way to talk about something immediately adjacent to you, usually separated by a wall. It can be a room, an apartment, an office, or a house. Crucially, it's also used to refer to the people in that adjacent space. If you say “my `gébì`,” you're talking about your neighbor.

• 隔 (gé): This character means “to separate,” “to partition,” or “to be apart from.” Think of it as the barrier or space between two things.
• 壁 (bì): This character simply means “wall.”
• The combination 隔壁 (gébì) literally translates to “separated by a wall.” This paints a perfect picture of what it means to be “next door”—sharing a common wall with someone or something.

In Chinese culture, the relationship between neighbors has traditionally been very important. The old saying 远亲不如近邻 (yuǎnqīn bùrú jìnlín), meaning “a distant relative is not as helpful as a near neighbor,” captures this sentiment perfectly. In a collectivist culture, neighbors were a crucial support system, relied upon for daily help and emergencies. 隔壁 (gébì) therefore carries a sense of closeness and community. However, in modern China, a new, humorous cultural concept has emerged: 隔壁老王 (gébì Lǎo Wáng), or “Old Wang Next Door.” This is a famous internet meme and social trope referring to a hypothetical male neighbor who is often the subject of jokes. “Old Wang” can be a rival who is seemingly better at everything (his kids get better grades, he has a better car), or, more comically, a man who is having an affair with the wife next door. Mentioning “隔壁老王” is a tongue-in-cheek way to refer to “some other guy” in a variety of humorous or slightly cynical contexts. This shows how the concept of “the person next door” has evolved in the modern Chinese imagination.

隔壁 (gébì) is an extremely common, informal word used in daily life.

• As a Noun (referring to people): You can use it directly to mean “neighbor.”
  • `我的隔壁很吵。(Wǒ de gébì hěn chǎo.)` - My neighbor is very noisy.
• As a Location Specifier (referring to a place): It functions like “next door” in English, often followed by `的 (de)`.
  • `他住在隔壁的房间。(Tā zhù zài gébì de fángjiān.)` - He lives in the room next door.
• In the Office: It's used to refer to the adjacent office or department.
  • `你去问问隔壁部门。(Nǐ qù wènwen gébì bùmén.)` - Go ask the department next door.

The connotation is generally neutral, but it can become positive or negative depending on the context, just like the word “neighbor” in English.

• Example 1:
  • 我家隔壁住着一位退休老师。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jiā gébì zhùzhe yí wèi tuìxiū lǎoshī.
  • English: A retired teacher lives next door to my home.
  • Analysis: Here, `隔壁` specifies the location relative to “my home” (我家).
• Example 2:
  • 你能帮我问一下隔壁有没有酱油吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ wèn yíxià gébì yǒu méiyǒu jiàngyóu ma?
  • English: Can you help me ask the neighbor if they have any soy sauce?
  • Analysis: In this context, `隔壁` is used as a shorthand for “the person/people next door.” This is a very common and natural usage.
• Example 3:
  • 会议室在隔壁，请跟我来。
  • Pinyin: Huìyìshì zài gébì, qǐng gēn wǒ lái.
  • English: The meeting room is next door, please come with me.
  • Analysis: A simple, practical use of `隔壁` to give directions for an adjacent room.
• Example 4:
  • 我好像听到隔壁在吵架。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ hǎoxiàng tīngdào gébì zài chǎojià.
  • English: I think I hear the people next door arguing.
  • Analysis: Again, `隔壁` refers to the neighbors without needing to add `的人 (de rén)`. The context makes it clear you're hearing people, not the room itself.
• Example 5:
  • 我们公司隔壁新开了一家咖啡馆。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī gébì xīn kāi le yì jiā kāfēiguǎn.
  • English: A new cafe opened up next to our company.
  • Analysis: This shows that `隔壁` can apply to buildings and businesses, not just apartments or houses.
• Example 6:
  • 隔壁的狗叫了一整晚，我都没睡好。
  • Pinyin: Gébì de gǒu jiào le yì zhěng wǎn, wǒ dōu méi shuì hǎo.
  • English: The neighbor's dog barked all night, I didn't sleep well at all.
  • Analysis: Using `隔壁的` (gébì de) acts as an adjective, meaning “the neighbor's” or “of next door.”
• Example 7:
  • 别总看别人，先管好你自己吧！你看，隔壁小李又升职了。
  • Pinyin: Bié zǒng kàn biérén, xiān guǎn hǎo nǐ zìjǐ ba! Nǐ kàn, gébì Xiǎo Lǐ yòu shēngzhí le.
  • English: Stop always looking at others, just worry about yourself! Look, Little Li from next door got promoted again.
  • Analysis: This example shows how `隔壁` can refer to a neighbor by name, implying a familiar (and sometimes rivalrous) relationship.
• Example 8:
  • 他开玩笑说，他孩子的数学肯定是隔壁老王教的。
  • Pinyin: Tā kāiwánxiào shuō, tā háizi de shùxué kěndìng shì gébì Lǎo Wáng jiāo de.
  • English: He joked that his kid's math skills must have been taught by Old Wang next door.
  • Analysis: This is a classic, humorous use of the “隔壁老王” trope, implying the neighbor is better at something (in this case, math).
• Example 9:
  • 中国人开玩笑的时候会说日本是我们的隔壁。
  • Pinyin: Zhōngguó rén kāiwánxiào de shíhou huì shuō Rìběn shì wǒmen de gébì.
  • English: When Chinese people joke around, they might say Japan is our “neighbor.”
  • Analysis: `隔壁` can be used on a larger scale to refer to neighboring countries, though `邻国 (línguó)` is more formal.
• Example 10:
  • 这两个部门的办公室就在隔壁，沟通起来很方便。
  • Pinyin: Zhè liǎng ge bùmén de bàngōngshì jiù zài gébì, gōutōng qǐlái hěn fāngbiàn.
  • English: The offices of these two departments are right next door to each other, so communication is very convenient.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical example from a workplace environment.

• 隔壁 (gébì) vs. 邻居 (línjū): This is a key distinction.
  • 邻居 (línjū) specifically means “neighbor” (the person/people). It is only a noun.
  • 隔壁 (gébì) can mean “neighbor” (the person) OR the physical place “next door.”
  • You can say `我的隔壁 (wǒ de gébì)` or `我的邻居 (wǒ de línjū)` to mean “my neighbor.” They are often interchangeable in this context, with `隔壁` being slightly more colloquial.
  • However, you cannot use `邻居` to refer to a place.
    • Incorrect: `会议室在我的邻居。` (The meeting room is at my neighbor.)
    • Correct: `会议室在我办公室的隔壁。` (The meeting room is next door to my office.)
• Forgetting it can refer to people: A common mistake for learners is to always add `的人 (de rén)` after `隔壁` when talking about people. While `隔壁的人` is not grammatically wrong, it's often redundant. Saying `我的隔壁很友好 (Wǒ de gébì hěn yǒuhǎo)` is a more native and efficient way to say “My neighbor is very friendly.”

• 邻居 (línjū) - The more formal and specific noun for “neighbor” (person).
• 附近 (fùjìn) - Nearby; in the vicinity. A much broader area than just “next door.”
• 旁边 (pángbiān) - Beside; next to. A general term for something physically alongside another object or person.
• 对面 (duìmiàn) - Opposite; across from. Describes something on the other side of a street, table, or room.
• 社区 (shèqū) - Community; a residential neighborhood.
• 邻里关系 (línlǐ guānxì) - Neighborhood relations; the social dynamic between neighbors.
• 远亲不如近邻 (yuǎnqīn bùrú jìnlín) - A famous proverb: “A distant relative is not as good as a near neighbor.”
• 隔壁老王 (gébì Lǎo Wáng) - “Old Wang next door.” A modern cultural meme representing a rival or cuckolding neighbor.
• 隔阂 (géhé) - Estrangement; a barrier in a relationship. Note the use of the same character `隔`.
• 一墙之隔 (yì qiáng zhī gé) - “Separated by only a wall.” An idiom used to describe things that are very close physically but can be very different.