Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 房子 | fángzi | /fɑŋ³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /faŋ²¹ t͡sɹ̩⁵³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 房屋 | fángwū | /fɑŋ³⁵ u⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /fɔːŋ²¹ ʊk̚⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 家 | jiā | /t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /d͡ʑ̥i̯ä/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 屋子 | wūzi | /u⁵⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩²/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /vu²¹ t͡sɹ̩⁵³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 厝 | chhù | /t͡sʰu⁴¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Tong'an, Philippines, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese) /t͡sʰu¹¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Tong'an, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Taipei, General Taiwanese) |
Hokkien |
| 住宅 | chū-the̍h, chū-the̍eh | /t͡su⁴¹⁻²² tʰeʔ²⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese) /t͡su³³⁻¹¹ tʰeʔ⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Sinological IPA, Taipei, General Taiwanese) |
Hokkien |
Mandarin uses different words for house depending on whether you are referring to the physical structure, a residential dwelling or the concept of home and family. The term 家 is frequently used to mean 'home' and often implies 'my family' or 'my household' rather than just the building itself.
Which one should you use?
房子 is the most common way to refer to a physical house or building as a noun. In contrast, 房屋 is a more formal and technical term used in written contexts such as law, real estate or statistics. For residential dwellings specifically, the formal term 住宅 is used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In northern China, people might use 屋子 to mean house.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting houses or rooms, you must use a measure word, such as 间 (jiān) for a room or 間 (jiān) for a house or unit.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of 房子 is fángzi (/fɑŋ³⁵ dz̥ɹ̩³/).
Did you know?
- The word 家 contains the character for 'pig' 豕 at the bottom. In ancient times, it was common for families to raise pigs under the roof of their house.
- While 家 means 'home', it is also used as a measure word for businesses. You can use it to count 'houses' of business, such as a 'restaurant house' or 'shop house'.
- In traditional Chinese architecture, the 'house' is often viewed as a courtyard rather than a single building. This influences how space and boundaries are discussed in the language.
Examples in context
- 我家在這裡。My house is here.This sentence shows how to use 家 to refer to one's house.Tatoeba #1275340 by egg0073, translation #1275336 by CM
- 你家在哪裡？Where is your house?This sentence shows how to use 家 to ask about someone's house.Tatoeba #1440409 by egg0073, translation #370706 by saeb
- 她家在哪儿？Where is her house?This sentence shows how to use 家 to ask about her house.Tatoeba #1691786 by sadhen, translation #481895 by CK
- 我的房子在市中心。My house is located in the city center.
- 这是一栋高档住宅。This is a high-end residential house.
- 我的家很舒适。My house is very comfortable.
- 我的卧室是最大的房间。My bedroom is the largest room.
- 我的屋子很温暖。My house is very cozy.
- 471 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are standing on a street looking at a building.
- 伟 Wei這間房子很大。Zhè jiān fángzi hěn dà.This house is very big.
- 雨婷 Yuting是啊，可是很舊了。Shì a, kěshì hěn jiù le.Yes, but it is very old.
- 伟 Wei你喜歡這間房子嗎？Nǐ xǐhuān zhè jiān fángzi ma?Do you like this house?
- 雨婷 Yuting我不喜歡，太吵了。Wǒ bù xǐhuān, tài chǎo le.I don't like it, it's too noisy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “house” translations and entries 房子, 房屋, 家, 屋子, 厝, 住宅, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
