屋頂 / 屋顶
wūdǐng
The Chinese word for "roof" is 屋頂 / 屋顶 (wūdǐng). Wiktionary also lists 房頂 / 房顶 (fángdǐng).
Meaning: the cover at the top of a building (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 屋頂 / 屋顶 | wūdǐng |
| 房頂 / 房顶 | fángdǐng |
Both terms refer to the cover at the top of a building.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 屋顶 (wūdǐng) is composed of 屋 (house/room) and 顶 (top/peak).
Which one should you use?
While both mean roof, 屋顶 (wūdǐng) is more formal and standard, whereas 房顶 (fángdǐng) is more colloquial and common in spoken Northern Chinese.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the word for roof is 屋頂.
How do you pronounce it?
wūdǐng
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, the roof is not just a cover but a spiritual boundary, often featuring mythical creatures called 脊兽 (jǐshòu) on the ridges to protect the building from fire and evil spirits.
- In traditional Chinese architecture, the shape of the 屋顶 (wūdǐng) indicated the social status of the owner, with specific sweeping curves reserved for imperial palaces and temples.
- In Chinese, the character 顶 (dǐng) used in 屋顶 does not just mean 'top', but specifically refers to the highest point or a cap. This is the same character used to describe the 'top' of one's head.
Examples in context
- 房子的屋顶是红色的。The roof of the house is red.
- 这座建筑物的房顶很高。The roof of this building is very high.
- 房子的顶上有烟囱和天窗。There is a chimney and a skylight on the roof of the house.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “roof” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
