"There are six birds in the tree."

Translation: 树上有六只鸟。

[Mibonyx]

Why did I need 上 if they were in, and not specifically on top, of the tree?

[JessicaBer862872]

I think that's just how it's expressed in Chinese. In the German language, we also say birds are "on" a tree. But it doesn't mean they're on top of it, just means they're "in" it, as you English speakers put it. ;)

[AndrKuczar]

It's the exact same situation in Polish.

[Greg282875]

Same in Hungarian: "in" would imply a hole.

[Fekkezaum]

I think English speakers (along with other languages) think the limit of the tree is where the outer leaves are, whereas in other languages they think the air inside those limits are outside the tree. Son anything laying on the surface of a branch or leaf is "on" the tree. Mandarin appears to be in the second group.

[dduuoo1234]

This is an application of the Whorf hypothesis or linguistic relativity. It is not a safe assumption. A safer interpretation is that there is a difference in the commom idiom which is sign of habit and conformity not thought.

[bassdewd]

Exactly, has me confused too

[AndromedaKitty]

Is "There are six birds at the top of the tree" ok?

[Jeremy114182]

I believe that would work too.

[SimonSprin1]

My Chinese friend tells me that “在树上有六只鸟” should be accepted. I’ve offered it up

[zhili176366]

On the tree, not in the tree

[Yiningtan2]

树上有六只鸟in chinese is correct, but in english should be on the tree not in the tree.

[TJKoz]

Would it be acceptable to say... 树里有六只鸟？When I think "in the tree", I think of 树里 and not 树上。

[XMVZiron]

I thought the word for tree was 木, not 树.

[iyoossaev]

It is the word for wood or lumber, so a dead tree ;)

[iyoossaev]

Why doesn 在……上 not work here? Why cannot I use 在 anywhere in this sentence?

[Deryk587991]

My answer as yours but not accepted

[SimonSprin1]

Thank you for teaching me a new word.