卧房 (wò fáng) — bedroom | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Formal or literary term for 'bedroom.' Compare 卧室, the everyday standard word. 卧房 is more often seen in writing or upscale contexts (hotels, real-estate listings).

noun

bedroom

Measure word · 间

Examples

卧房，。
Zhè jiān wò fáng cháo nán, yáng guāng hěn hǎo.
This bedroom faces south and gets great sunlight.
卧房。
Tā zài wò fáng lǐ fàng le yì pén lǜ zhí.
She put a potted plant in the bedroom.
卧房。
Kè rén de wò fáng zài èr lóu yòu shǒu biān.
The guest bedroom is on the second floor, right-hand side.

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.

卧wòlie/sleep

“卧” means lying or sleeping and “房” means room, so together they name a bedroom.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 臥; 卧 is its simplified writing.

臣人臥

臣臣chéneye pointing down
人人rénperson

The traditional form 臥 pairs 臣 (an eye pointing down) with 人 (a person).

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

戶戶hùdoor

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng房fáng

Same sound today

房 pairs 戶 (door) with 方 (fāng) as a sound part; 方 can also fit 'side,' as in a side room beside the main room.

Appears in

Home & Housing Rooms & Spaces

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