沙發 / 沙发
shāfā
The English word "couch" can be translated into Chinese as 沙發 / 沙发 (shāfā). If unsure, use 沙發 / 沙发. Wiktionary also lists 長沙發椅 / 长沙发椅 (cháng shāfāyǐ).
Meaning: furniture for seating of more than one person (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 沙發 / 沙发 | shāfā |
| 長沙發椅 / 长沙发椅 | cháng shāfāyǐ |
The term refers to furniture designed for seating more than one person.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 沙發 / 沙发 is a phonetic loanword from the English word "sofa".
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
shāfā
Did you know?
- In Chinese internet slang, the word 沙发 is used by the first person to comment on a forum thread or blog post. This usage turns the word 'sofa' into a metaphor for the first person to 'sit' on a post.
- The loanword 沙发 likely entered the Chinese language through Shanghainese rather than through standard Mandarin. Shanghai served as a primary gateway for Western furniture and terminology during the colonial era.
- The term 沙发 consists of two characters that individually mean 'sand' 沙 and 'emit' or 'launch' 發. Together, they carry no literal meaning related to furniture and exist solely to mimic the sound of the English word.
Examples in context
- 我在客厅里放了一张沙发。I placed a couch in the living room.
- 教室里有一张沙发床。There is a couch bed in the classroom.
- 你坐一下这个沙发，我去拿点茶。Sit on this couch for a bit, I'll get some tea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “couch” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 沙發, CC BY-SA 4.0.
