招待所 (zhāo dài suǒ) — guesthouse; hostel

Definition

招待所 is a simple, institutional 'guesthouse' — typically a basic, state-run or workplace-affiliated lodging for visitors or employees, more utilitarian than a hotel (酒店).

noun
guesthousehostel
Measure word · 家

Examples

  • 招待所。
    Wǒ men zhù zài yì jiā pián yi de zhāo dài suǒ.
    We stayed at a cheap guesthouse.
  • 招待所。
    Zhè jiā zhāo dài suǒ lí huǒ chē zhàn hěn jìn.
    This guesthouse is very close to the train station.
  • 招待所。
    Lái kāi huì de kè rén dōu bèi ān pái zhù jìn le zhāo dài suǒ.
    All the guests attending the meeting were arranged to stay in the guesthouse.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

招待receive guests
招zhāoinvite待dàitreat
联合Side by side
所suǒplace

A place (所) for receiving guests (招待).

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
召
召zhào招zhāo
Same sound today

招 pairs 扌, the hand part, with 召, which gives the sound, to show beckoning with the hand.

Open 招 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì待dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

待 is built from 彳 on the left and 寺 on the right; 彳 is tied to the meaning, and 寺 gives the sound.

Open 待 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīnaxe
Sound part声符shēngfú
戶
戶hù所suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

所 pairs 斤, an axe, with 戶, which gives the sound hù; the old meaning was the sound of logging.

Open 所 →

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