Learn Chinese: Household Words
This category consists of words related to household items in Chinese. Suitable for beginners learning Chinese.
Page 1 of 2
- 1
- 2
住房 (zhùfáng)
housing
The Chinese word '住房' refers to the activity of residing or living in a particular location. It can also mean a building or a place where people reside. It is often used in the context of issues related to human habitation such as housing shortage, housing affordability, etc.
Example sentences with 住房 →冰箱 (bīngxiāng)
refrigerator
The Chinese word for refrigerator is '冰箱' and it is commonly used in Chinese households. A refrigerator, as in English, is for preserving food and keeping items cold. It's as commonly used in China as it is in any part of the world.
厨房 (chú fáng)
kitchen
The Chinese word '厨房' is used to refer to the room where cooking or food preparation takes place, equivalent to the English 'kitchen'. This could include anything from a small room in a residential house to large commercial kitchens in restaurants or cafeterias.
土壤 (tǔrǎng)
dirt
In Chinese, dirt is translated as 土壤 (tǔrǎng). This term is used just like in English to refer to soil or earthy matter, especially when loose. It can be used in a variety of contexts, such as discussing gardening, nature, or in metaphors and idioms.
Example sentences with 土壤 →地板 (dìbǎn)
floor
The Chinese word for 'floor' is '地板' (dìbǎn). It is used in the same context as in English. For example, to denote the surface of a room on which one stands. Just like in English, it can also be used metaphorically, like in saying 'sweep the floor'.
地毯 (dìtǎn)
carpet
The Chinese word for carpet is '地毯' (dìtǎn). It is a noun that can be used in a variety of contexts, much like the English word 'carpet'. It refers to a floor or stair covering made from thick woven fabric, typically shaped to fit a particular room.
Example sentences with 地毯 →广播 (guǎng bō)
radio
In Mandarin, 'radio' is translated as '广播' (guǎng bō). It is used in the same contexts as in English. For example, to listen to a radio station would be '听广播' (tīng guǎng bō).
床 (chuáng)
bed
The Chinese word for 'bed' is '床'. It is used in much the same way as in English, to refer to the piece of furniture used for sleep and relaxation. It can be combined with other words too, such as '床单' which means 'bed sheet', '床垫' meaning 'mattress', '床架' meaning 'bed frame'.
废墟 (feito)
ruin
The Chinese word '废墟' (feito) translates to 'ruin' in English. It is usually used to refer to a building or place that is in a state of decay or destruction, often as a result of some catastrophic event or long-term neglect. Similar to its English equivalent, '废墟' can be used both literally and figuratively. For instance, you can use '废墟' to describe a once-grand building now in ruins, or metaphorically to refer to a person's life or career that has been ruined.
Example sentences with 废墟 →房子 (Fángzi)
house
In Chinese, '房子' (Fángzi) translates directly to 'house'. It is commonly used in the same way as in English, to refer to a dwelling or place of residence. You could use it in a sentence like '这是我的房子' (Zhè shì wǒ de fángzi), which means 'This is my house'.
房间 (fáng jiān)
room
The word '房间' in Chinese is used to refer to any enclosed space within a building, typically separated by walls or partitions from other parts. It can refer to a living room, bedroom, bathroom, etc. - any room you might have in a house or building.
擦 (cā)
to rub
The word '擦' is a commonly used Chinese verb. It corresponds to the English verb 'rub'. It can be used in various contexts like 'rub your hands together', 'rub your eyes', etc. It's also used metaphorically in some idioms and phrases. For example, '生活总会给你擦一下', which means 'life will always give you some rubs' implying life always gives you some trials and tribulations.
Example sentences with 擦 →枕头 (Zhěntou)
pillow
In Chinese, Pillow translates to '枕头' (Zhěntou). The word is often used to refer to the cushion support for the head, especially for sleeping or resting. It's frequently used in daily life, in settings like bedrooms, furniture shopping, etc.
桌子 (zhuōzi)
table
The Chinese word '桌子' refers to 'table' in English. It can be used in many of the same contexts. For example, you can say '这是我的桌子' to mean 'This is my table'. In Chinese, nouns do not have plural forms, so '桌子' can mean one table or many tables based on the context.
椅子 (yǐ zi)
chair
The word '椅子' in Chinese refers to any kind of seat with backrest, typically one for one person to sit on. It is frequently used in daily conversation just as 'chair' is used in English.
沙发 (shā fā)
sofa
In Chinese, 'sofa' is translated as '沙发' (shā fā). It is used in the same way as in English. You can say '这是我的沙发' (This is my sofa), '我在沙发上看电视' (I watch TV on the sofa). It is an important word when talking about furniture or home accessories.
淋浴 (lín yù)
the shower
The Chinese word for shower is '淋浴'. It will often be used in the same context as its English counterpart, it means the act of bathing underneath a spray of water.
灯 (dēng)
lamp
In Chinese, the word for 'lamp' is '灯' (dēng). It is used almost exactly the same way as in English, being an essential piece of furniture in most homes and buildings for lighting purposes.
炉子 (lú zi)
stove
The Chinese word '炉子' refers to the appliance used for cooking, which is known as a 'stove' in English. Much like in English-speaking cultures, a '炉子' is an essential household item in China, used for preparing meals. It is worth noting that the concept may vary slightly, as stoves are typically gas-powered in China, rather than electric.
烤箱 (kǎo xiāng)
oven
The Chinese word '烤箱' is used to refer to an oven, which is a device used for baking and roasting. It's used in the same way the English word 'oven' is used. For example, when talking about baking a cake or roasting a turkey, you would use '烤箱'.
玩具 (wánjù)
toy
The Chinese word for toy is '玩具' which can be used in sentences like '这是我的玩具.' that translates to 'This is my toy.', In Chinese, '玩具' is used to refer to items designed to be played with, often by children. Just like in English, it can refer to anything from a small toy car to a large playground set.
电缆 (diàn lǎn)
cable
The Chinese term for cable is '电缆'. It is most commonly used in the context of electricity and technology, referring to a thick wire or bundle of wires inside a plastic or rubber cover, which is used to carry electronic or telephone signals. Example: '可以帮我检查电缆连接吗?' which means 'Can you help me check the cable connection?'
Example sentences with 电缆 →的 (de)
the
In Mandarin Chinese, 'the' is generally implied and it does not have a direct equivalent. However, '的' is often used in a similar way to 'the', showing possession or modification. For example, to specify 'my cat', one would say '我的猫'. It can mean 'the', but it is also used in many other contexts that do not directly translate to 'the'. It's one of the most common characters in Chinese.
视频 (shì pín)
video
In Chinese, '视频' represents 'video' and it is a noun. It is usually used to refer to a recording, reproducing, or broadcasting of moving visual images.
窗户 (chuānghu)
the window
In Chinese, the word '窗户' (chuānghu) refers to a window, which is an opening in the wall or roof of a building to allow light or air to enter. It is used in various contexts, just like the English word 'window'. For instance, one might say '请打开窗户' which translates to 'Please open the window'.
经典 (jīngdiǎn)
classic
The Chinese word '经典' literally translates to 'classic'. It is used to refer to something that has been judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind. For instance, a classic piece of literature, film, music, etc. It can also be used to describe anything that is typical or traditional.
Example sentences with 经典 →维护 (wéi hù)
maintenance
The Chinese word '维护' is used in numerous contexts similar to the English word 'maintenance'. It could refer to the act of maintaining or keeping something in good condition, such as '机器维护' (machine maintenance) or '车辆维护' (vehicle maintenance). It can also refer to the protection or sustaining of something, such as '保护维护' (protect and maintain).
舒适 (shū shì)
comfortable
The Chinese word '舒适' would be used similarly to how 'comfortable' is used in English. It can be used to describe a variety of things, such as clothes, furniture, or even the atmosphere. In any context where you can describe something as 'comfortable' in English, '舒适' would be an appropriate word to use in Chinese.
Example sentences with 舒适 →衣柜 (yī guì)
the wardrobe
The Chinese word for 'wardrobe' is '衣柜'. It is used in a similar context as in English, referring to a large, often ornate cabinet or closet used for storing clothes. Just like in English, it can also be used metaphorically, for instance to describe a range or collection of clothes that someone has.
衣橱 (yī chú)
wardrobe
The term '衣橱' in Chinese is used to describe a furniture for clothes, similar to a cupboard or a closet in English. It typically has doors and shelves and is used to store clothes, shoes, and other items. Chinese speakers will use '衣橱' in the same context as English speakers would use 'wardrobe'.
Page 1 of 2
- 1
- 2