住宅 (zhù zhái) — residence; dwelling | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

住宅 is a formal word for a residence — most common in written contexts like real estate, urban planning, or news (e.g. 住宅区 'residential area'). More formal than the everyday 住处.

noun

residencedwelling

Measure word · 套

Examples

住宅。
Zhè ge zhù zhái xiǎo qū huán jìng hěn hǎo.
This residential community has a good environment.
住宅。
Tā zuì jìn gòu mǎi le yí tào zhù zhái.
He recently purchased a residence.
住宅。
zhù zhái De ān quán wèn tí xū yào zhòng shì.
The safety issue of residences needs attention.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

宅zháidwelling

住 carries living, and 宅 refers to a dwelling, so the word points to a place where one lives.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亻主住

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

主

主zhǔ住zhù

Same sound today

住 pairs 亻, the person radical (written fully as 人), with 主, which supplies the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

宀乇宅

Meaning part形符xíngfú

宀宀miánroof

Sound part声符shēngfú

乇

乇tuō宅zhái

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 宅, the 宀 part is a roof, and the 乇 part gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Home & Housing

Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.