居住 (jū zhù) — to reside, to live (in a place) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

More formal and written than 住 ('to live'), commonly used in contexts like 居住条件 or 居住人口. Pairs with abstract or official topics (residence permit, population, conditions) rather than everyday statements.

verb

to resideto live (in a place)

Examples

居住。
Tā cháng qī jū zhù zài shàng hǎi.
He has resided in Shanghai for a long time.
居住。
Chéng shì rén kǒu jū zhù mì dù hěn gāo.
The population density in cities is very high.
居住。
Zhè lǐ de jū zhù tiáo jiàn hěn hǎo.
The living conditions here are very good.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

Both 居 and 住 mean to live or dwell, so together they express residing in a place.

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.

尸古居

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

古

古gǔ居jū

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

居 is built from 尸 as the meaning part and 古 (gǔ) as the sound part.

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Home & Housing

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