right-hand corner and right corner (2025)

Hi, there:
I am wondering what the difference between "----Near the top

corner---" and "--- in the bottom right corner----" is.
Can I interchange them? I mean if I can just say "Near the top right corner" and "in the bottom right-hand corner".
I am learning the direction.
I am not clear about the difference between "right-hand" corner and "right corner".
Could you clarify it for me? Thanks a lot!

Right-hand is an adjective
Right in "--- in the bottom right corner----" is a noun acting as an adjective.
Right in "--- in the bottom right ----" is a noun.

I would hesitate to say that

corner and right corner are always interchangeable because, in terms of semantics, when using an adjective, right-hand is better as it distinguishes the other adjectival meaning of right, which can also mean correct; proper. (This is not too important if you have added "bottom/top, etc." to the phrase.)

Yes, you can use either "right" or "right-hand" here.

KYC said:

I am not clear about the difference between "right-hand" corner and "right corner".

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There is no "right corner" or "right-hand corner". A rectangular object whose top is flat and whose sides are vertical has four corners:

- its top right (upper right) corner
- its bottom right (lower right) corner
- its top left (upper left) corner
- its bottom left (lower left) corner

Each one needs both "left or right" and "top or bottom" to make sense. But you can use different word choices, like "right-hand".

Are all three OK?

Upper/higher/top right-hand corner

PaulQ said:

You would have to give specific context to justify "higher" (higher than what?). The other two are common.

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That's what I was thinking of upper. Upper than what?

Ivan_I said:

That's what I was thinking of upper. Upper than what?

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Upper does not work in that way - it cannot be used as a predicate adjective - in those cases, it becomes a noun.

In standard, everyday usage I think my general preference is to omit "hand".

Upper right corner or top right corner both sound better to me than the alternatives.

But it does depend on the sentence and the exact context.

"Up" and "down" and "left" and "right" are the 4 most common direction words. So "upper" and "lower" are clear. We say "upper shelf" and "lower shelf" and similar things.

"Upper than" is not correct in English.