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Side, edge, or border of something
桌子的边
The edge of the table
国家的边界
The national border
Side (as in one of two or more parts)
我站在你这边
I'm on your side
While, during (used to indicate an action happening simultaneously)
边走边看
To walk and look at the same time
The word '边' can mean both 'side' and 'while', so pay attention to the context to determine the correct meaning.
When '边' is used to mean 'while', it typically appears in the structure '边...边...' to describe two actions happening at the same time.
From Middle Chinese *pien, meaning 'side' or 'edge'
When used as an adverb meaning 'while', it often appears in the structure '边...边...' to indicate two actions happening simultaneously.