玩具屋
wánjù wū
The English phrase "dollhouse" is translated into Chinese as 玩具屋 (wánjù wū).
The term refers to a miniature toy house used for playing with small dolls.
What does it mean word for word?
玩具屋 is a compound of 玩具 (wánjù), meaning 'toy' and 屋 (wū), meaning 'house' or 'room'.
How do you pronounce it?
wánjù wū
Did you know?
- Long before Western-style 玩具屋 became popular, Chinese culture created miniature architecture for gardens and temples. These were designed as spiritual symbols for adults rather than as toys for children.
- The word 玩具 (wánjù) is composed of 玩 meaning 'to play' and 具 meaning 'tool' or 'utensil', effectively defining a toy as a 'tool for playing'.
- The character 玩 (wán) in 玩具屋 does not just mean 'to play' but also 'to appreciate' or 'to enjoy'. This implies that owning a dollhouse can be an act of aesthetic appreciation rather than just a child's activity.
Examples in context
- 我的侄女喜欢玩她的玩偶屋。My niece loves playing with her dollhouse.
- 咱们去你家玩吧，我想看看你的娃娃屋。Let's play at your place. I want to see your dollhouse.
- 这个玩具屋很漂亮。Zhège wánjùwū hěn piàoliang.This dollhouse is very beautiful.
- 妹妹喜欢玩玩具屋。Mèimei xǐhuān wán wánjùwū.Little sister likes playing with the dollhouse.
- 我们要买一个新的玩具屋吗？Wǒmen yào mǎi yīgè xīn de wánjùwū ma?Are we going to buy a new dollhouse?
Example conversation
佳怡 and 浩然 are looking at toys in a shop.
- 佳怡 Jiayi浩然，你看那个玩具屋！Hàorán, nǐ kàn nàge wánjùwū!Haoran, look at that dollhouse!
- 浩然 Haoran那个玩具屋确实很精致。Nàge wánjùwū quèshí hěn jīngzhì.That dollhouse is indeed very exquisite.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我想送给妹妹当生日礼物。Wǒ xiǎng sòng gěi mèimei dāng shēngrì lǐwù.I want to give it to my sister as a birthday gift.
- 浩然 Haoran她一定会喜欢的。Tā yīdìng huì xǐhuān de.She will definitely love it.
