Trên

Trên is a Vietnamese preposition and adverb meaning on, atop, or above. It marks the position of one thing relative to another, usually indicating that something rests on a surface or is located higher in space. It is also used in figurative expressions to denote inclusion, coverage, or prominence, and appears in modern phrases such as online contexts.

As a preposition, trên typically precedes the noun phrase it governs: trên bàn (on the table), trên mái nhà (on the roof), trên mặt đất (on the ground). In sentences without a separate verb of position, it can function in locational clauses, as in Trên bàn có sách (There are books on the table). It can express spatial relation across many everyday contexts.

Common collocations include both literal and figurative uses: trên mạng (online), trên thế giới (in the world), trên trời (in the sky), trên đường (on the road), and trên thị trường (on the market). These phrases illustrate how trên extends beyond physical location to refer to domains or contexts.

Etymology and related terms: trên is a native Vietnamese term for upper-position reference. It is conceptually related to terms describing vertical relations, such as dưới (under/below) and ở (at/in), and appears in phrases like trên cùng (the top) or trên cao (high up).

Notes: Vietnamese spelling uses ê in on, with tone marks determined by the surrounding sentence. The word is versatile in both literal spatial descriptions and broader, figurative expressions.