租
The English phrase "to rent" is translated into Chinese as 租.
Depending on the context, it can mean renting something from someone else or renting something out to someone else.
Which one should you use?
If the subject is an owner renting property out to a tenant, the term 出租 is used. For more technical, business or legal contexts involving leasing, the term 租赁 is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to specify that you are renting a house or an apartment, it is common to combine 租 with 房 (house/room) to form the verb-object phrase 租房.
Did you know?
- In modern Chinese slang, the word 租 is sometimes used ironically in the phrase 租女友 or 租男友, referring to 'renting' a date for a social event to avoid family pressure.
- The character 租 contains the radical for 'grain' or 'cereals', because historically, land rent was paid in crops rather than currency.
- In the context of shared housing, you might see the term 合租, which means renting together. It describes a specific social arrangement where strangers share a large apartment to split the cost.
Examples in context
- 他花了50美元在夏威夷租了一辆汽车。It cost him 50 dollars to rent a car in Hawaii.This sentence shows how to use 租 in the context of renting a car in Hawaii.Tatoeba #1426449 by sadhen, translation #292450 by CK
- 我想要租車。I want to rent a car.This sentence uses 租 to express a desire to rent a car.Tatoeba #809711 by Martha, translation #4134771 by allasobirova
- 我想租一輛車。I'd like to rent a car.Tatoeba #861007 by Martha, translation #29477 by CK
- 我想出租一间房子。I want to rent out a house.
- 我需要租借一辆汽车一个月。I need to rent a car for a month.
- 我们要去租电影。We're going to rent a movie.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Zihan are talking about finding a new apartment.
- 伟 Wei你想在市中心租房子吗？Nǐ xiǎng zài shìzhōngxīn zū fángzi ma?Do you want to rent an apartment downtown?
- 梓涵 Zihan我想，但那里的租金太贵了。Wǒ xiǎng, dàn nàlǐ de zūjīn tài guì le.I do, but the rent there is too expensive.
- 伟 Wei我们可以一起租一套大的。Wǒmen kěyǐ yīqǐ zū yī tào dà de.We could rent a large one together.
- 梓涵 Zihan好主意，我们去找找吧。Hǎo zhǔyì, wǒmen qù zhǎozhao ba.Good idea, let's go look for one.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 租, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
