Chinese Vocabulary · 中文词汇
Home and Building Words in Chinese
居家与建筑词汇 jūjiā yǔ jiànzhù cíhuì
If you are invited to a Taiwanese home, the first thing you will notice is a pile of shoes by the door. In Taiwan, people take off their shoes before they come in, and the host will often hand you a pair of 拖鞋 (tuōxié, “slippers”) to wear inside. That is why slippers are one of the most important things in a Taiwanese home, and the perfect word to start this lesson on home and building words.
Around the house
Household Items Words in Chinese
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Korean | Japanese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 被子 | bèizi | Quilt; blanket | 이불 | 掛け布団 |
| 叉子 | chāzi | Fork | 포크 | フォーク |
| 尺子 | chǐzi | Ruler | 자 | 定規 |
| 床单 | chuángdān | Bed sheet | 침대 시트 | シーツ |
| 柜子 | guìzi | Cabinet; cupboard | 장 | 棚; 戸棚 |
| 锅 | guō | Pot; pan | 냄비 | 鍋 |
| 剪刀 | jiǎndāo | Scissors | 가위 | はさみ |
| 手套 | shǒutào | Gloves | 장갑 | 手袋 |
| 台灯 | táidēng | Desk lamp | 스탠드 | 電気スタンド |
| 拖鞋 | tuōxié | Slippers | 슬리퍼 | スリッパ |
| 围巾 | wéijīn | Scarf | 목도리 | マフラー |
| 吸管 | xīguǎn | Drinking straw | 빨대 | ストロー |
Putting it all together
Examples
冬天很冷,我晚上蓋厚被子,出門戴圍巾和手套冬天很冷,我晚上盖厚被子,出门戴围巾和手套Winter is cold: at night I use a thick quilt, and when I go out I wear a scarf and gloves.
他用叉子吃水果,用吸管喝果汁他用叉子吃水果,用吸管喝果汁He eats fruit with a fork and drinks juice with a straw.
Rooms and places
Building and Place Words in Chinese
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Korean | Japanese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 博物馆 | bówùguǎn | Museum | 박물관 | 博物館 |
| 大厦 | dàshà | Tall building; large building | 빌딩 | ビル |
| 公寓 | gōngyù | Apartment (building) | 아파트 | マンション |
| 广场 | guǎngchǎng | Public square; plaza | 광장 | 広場 |
| 酒吧 | jiǔbā | Bar; pub | 바 | バー |
| 剧场 | jùchǎng | Theater | 극장 | 劇場 |
| 派出所 | pàichūsuǒ | Local police station | 파출소 | 交番 |
| 社区 | shèqū | Community; neighborhood | 지역 사회; 단지 | コミュニティ; 地域 |
| 书房 | shūfáng | Study (room) | 서재 | 書斎 |
| 卧室 | wòshì | Bedroom | 침실 | 寝室 |
| 阳台 | yángtái | Balcony | 발코니 | ベランダ |
| 邮局 | yóujú | Post office | 우체국 | 郵便局 |
大厦 (dàshà), 大楼 (dàlóu) and 公寓 (gōngyù)
大厦 (dàshà) is a large building and often appears in building names. In Taiwan, people more often say 大楼 (dàlóu) for a tall building. A 公寓 (gōngyù) in Taiwan usually means an older low-rise building without an elevator, while a modern building with an elevator is called 电梯大楼 (diàntī dàlóu).
Putting it all together
Examples
我住在一棟公寓的三樓,有一個小陽台我住在一栋公寓的三楼,有一个小阳台I live on the third floor of an apartment building, and it has a small balcony.
郵局在廣場旁邊,博物館就在派出所對面邮局在广场旁边,博物馆就在派出所对面The post office is next to the square, and the museum is right across from the police station.
Test yourself
Vocabulary Quiz

