the village is on a river,为什么不用near a river

其实我刚开始也想不通,觉得用near或by不是更准确?后来我瞥了下旁边的附图,恍然大悟,river是穿过village的,也就是说village在river两侧都有分布,near和by貌似都只能描述位于一侧的那种位置关系,像图中这种确实就是坐落在river上了啊,用on不是更形象?!

呵呵,这纯属自我解释的版本,我查到有道词典上有比较权威的说法：

柯林斯英汉双解大词典

PREPIf something is situatedona place such as a road
or coast, it forms part of it or is by the side of it. (坐落) 在…上; 在…旁
例：Bergdorf Goodman has opened a men's shop on Fifth Avenue.
伯格多夫·古德曼在第五大道上开了一家男装店.
例：The hotel is on the coast.
那家宾馆在海边.