旁边
pángbiān · HSK 1
near by
↔️ 旁边 = 旁 (side) + 边 (edge/border)
旁 means side or lateral, and 边 means edge or border. Together they literally stack to mean side-edge, i.e. the area right next to something. Sounds like pahng-byen.
旁 — top 立 + 方 (phonetic)
Originally a pictograph related to two sides flanking a central path or boundary marker. The modern form combines 立 on top with 方 below, where 方 also hints at the sound. Its core meaning shifted to 'side,' 'beside,' or 'lateral.'
边 — 辶 (walk) + 臱 (phonetic)
边 is the simplified form of 邊. It combines the walking radical 辶 with the phonetic component 臱, suggesting a place reached by walking — the edge or border of a territory. The meaning extended from 'frontier' to 'side' or 'edge' in general.