Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 主人 | zhǔrén |
| 所有者 | suǒyǒuzhē |
The term 主人 is used to describe an owner of something, but it is also the standard way to refer to the 'host' of a social gathering or a party. For a more formal or general way to express 'owner', you may use 所有人. If you are specifically referring to the owner of a property like an apartment or a commercial establishment, the term 业主 is often used.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 主人 is composed of 主 (zhǔ), meaning 'master' or 'host' and 人 (rén), meaning 'person'.
Which one should you use?
主人 is the common term used in daily speech. In contrast, 所有者 is a formal and legalistic way to say 'owner', typically found in official documents or formal contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the local Beijing dialect, the term 老板儿 can be heard to refer to the boss or owner of a small business or establishment.
How do you pronounce it?
zhǔrén
Did you know?
- The term 主人 is the same word used to describe the relationship between a pet and its human owner. Unlike some languages that use words for 'parent' or 'guardian', Chinese maintains the 'master' root 主.
- The character 主 in 主人 can also mean 'main' or 'principal'. This is why it appears in words for 'main street' or 'primary purpose', linking the idea of ownership to the idea of being the central point of something.
- In formal legal contexts, the term 所有者 is used to strip away the social connotations of 'mastery' found in 主人. It focuses purely on the legal right of possession rather than the social status of the person.
Examples in context
- 我是這房子的主人。I'm the owner of this house.This sentence is useful for identifying yourself as the owner of a house using 主人.Tatoeba #6064651 by verdastelo9604, translation #5243413 by CK
- 主人死後車子歸誰呢？Who does the car belong to when the owner dies?This sentence uses 主人 to discuss the ownership of a car after a person dies.Tatoeba #1205881 by cienias, translation #1211520 by alec
- 这个房子的主人有一对双胞胎。The owner of this house has two twins.This sentence uses 主人 to describe the owner of a house who has twins.Tatoeba #13071580 by maina, translation #12815736 by Igider
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Junjie and Yuting are at a pet cafe.
- 俊杰 Junjie這隻貓的主人是誰？zhè zhī māo de zhǔ rén shì shuí?Who is the owner of this cat?
- 雨婷 Yuting那位女士是它的主人。nà wèi nǚ shì tā de zhǔ rén.That lady is its owner.
- 俊杰 Junjie她看起來很愛護牠。tā kàn qǐ lái hěn ài hù tā.She looks like she cares for it a lot.
- 雨婷 Yuting是的，牠們關係很好。shì de, tā men guān xì hěn hǎo.Yes, they have a great relationship.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “owner” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
