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闺房 (guī fáng) — (noun) a woman's private chamber in traditional Chinese residences; boudoir

Definition

Literary/classical term for a woman's private bedroom in a traditional Chinese home, roughly 'boudoir' or 'inner chamber.' Conveys a historical, refined setting, unlike the everyday 卧室.

noun
a woman's private chamber in traditional Chinese residencesboudoir
Measure word · 间

Examples

  • 闺房。
    Tā de guī fáng bù zhì dé hěn yǎ zhì.
    Her chamber is decorated very elegantly.
  • 闺房。
    Gǔ dài nǚ zǐ de guī fáng tōng cháng shì jiā zhōng zuì yǐn mì de dì fāng.
    In ancient times, a woman's chamber was usually the most private place in the house.
  • 闺房。
    Tā yāo qǐng péng you cān guān zì jǐ de guī fáng.
    She invited friends to visit her private chamber.

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.

闺guīwomen's quarters
房fángroom

闺 refers to a woman's inner quarters and 房 means room, so it names a boudoir.

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 閨; 闺 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 圭圭guīpointed jade tablet

The traditional form 閨 has 門 (door) and 圭 (pointed jade tablet), and is described as an arched door shaped like 圭. The simplified 闺 is a later shorthand.

Open 闺 →

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.

Open 房 →
Appears in
Chinese Culture & CustomsHome & Housing

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