3 · 40 words

Renting and living at home

Renting a flat, moving house, the furniture and the building around you.

Renting, moving and the parts of a building. Chinese counts floors from the ground, as American English does: 一(yī)楼(lóu) is the ground floor, so 六(liù)楼(lóu) is what a British speaker calls the fifth. Several of these verbs are separable — 搬家(bānjiā), 租房(zūfáng), 停电(tíngdiàn) — and other words can stand between their halves: 搬(bān)了(le)两(liǎng)次(cì)家(jiā), moved house twice.

The words

Verb (11)

租房(zūfáng)to rent a flat or houseVerb3

刚(gāng)工作(gōngzuò)的(de)时候(shíhou)，我(wǒ)在(zài)公司(gōngsī)附近(fùjìn)租房(zūfáng)。When I had just started work, I rented a place near the office.

Separable: 租(zū)了(le)一(yí)套(tào)房(fáng).

租(zū)to rent; to hireVerb3

我们(wǒmen)租(zū)了(le)一(yí)辆(liàng)车(chē)去(qù)海边(hǎibiān)。We hired a car and drove to the seaside.

合租(hézū)to share a rented flatVerb3

为了(wèile)省钱(shěngqián)，我(wǒ)和(hé)两(liǎng)个(ge)同学(tóngxué)合租(hézū)一(yí)套(tào)房子(fángzi)。To save money, I share a flat with two classmates.

搬家(bānjiā)to move houseVerb3

我们(wǒmen)下(xià)个(ge)月(yuè)搬家(bānjiā)。We are moving house next month.

Separable: 搬(bān)过(guo)三(sān)次(cì)家(jiā), have moved three times.

搬(bān)to move; to carry (something heavy)Verb3

帮(bāng)我(wǒ)把(bǎ)这(zhè)张(zhāng)桌子(zhuōzi)搬到(bāndào)楼上(lóushàng)去(qu)，好(hǎo)吗(ma)？Could you help me carry this table upstairs?

装修(zhuāngxiū)to do up; to renovateVerb3

新(xīn)房子(fángzi)还(hái)在(zài)装修(zhuāngxiū)，我们(wǒmen)先(xiān)住(zhù)在(zài)父母(fùmǔ)家(jiā)。The new flat is still being done up, so for now we are staying with my parents.

布置(bùzhì)to arrange; to decorate (a room)Verb3

她(tā)把(bǎ)房间(fángjiān)布置(bùzhì)得(de)很(hěn)温暖(wēnnuǎn)。She has made the room look very cosy.

看房(kànfáng)to view a flat or houseVerb3

我(wǒ)约(yuē)了(le)房东(fángdōng)明天(míngtiān)下午(xiàwǔ)看房(kànfáng)。I have arranged with the landlord to view the flat tomorrow afternoon.

停电(tíngdiàn)to have a power cutVerb3

昨天(zuótiān)晚上(wǎnshang)停电(tíngdiàn)了(le)，我们(wǒmen)点(diǎn)了(le)蜡烛(làzhú)。There was a power cut last night, so we lit candles.

漏水(lòushuǐ)to leak (water)Verb3

卫生间(wèishēngjiān)漏水(lòushuǐ)了(le)，得(děi)找(zhǎo)人(rén)来(lái)修(xiū)。The bathroom is leaking; we need to get someone in to fix it.

朝南(cháonán)to face southVerb3

我们(wǒmen)的(de)卧室(wòshì)朝南(cháonán)，阳光(yángguāng)很(hěn)好(hǎo)。Our bedroom faces south and gets lots of sun.

朝(cháo) means to face; a south-facing home is valued for its winter sun.

Noun (25)

房租(fángzū)rentNoun3

这里(zhèlǐ)的(de)房租(fángzū)一(yí)个(ge)月(yuè)三千(sānqiān)块(kuài)。The rent here is three thousand yuan a month.

房东(fángdōng)landlord; landladyNoun3

房东(fángdōng)人(rén)很(hěn)好(hǎo)，东西(dōngxi)坏(huài)了(le)马上(mǎshàng)来(lái)修(xiū)。The landlord is very nice; when something breaks, he comes and fixes it straight away.

租客(zūkè)tenantNoun3

上(shàng)一(yí)个(ge)租客(zūkè)走(zǒu)的(de)时候(shíhou)没(méi)打扫(dǎsǎo)房间(fángjiān)。The last tenant did not clean the room when he left.

室友(shìyǒu)flatmate; roommateNoun3

我(wǒ)的(de)室友(shìyǒu)每天(měitiān)很(hěn)晚(wǎn)才(cái)回来(huílai)。My flatmate comes home very late every day.

公寓(gōngyù)flat; apartmentNoun3

他(tā)住(zhù)在(zài)一(yí)套(tào)小(xiǎo)公寓(gōngyù)里(lǐ)。He lives in a small flat.

Measure word: 套(tào).

家具(jiājù)furnitureNoun3

我们(wǒmen)买(mǎi)了(le)一些(yìxiē)新(xīn)家具(jiājù)。We have bought some new furniture.

Measure word: 件(jiàn) for one piece.

鞋柜(xiéguì)shoe cupboardNoun3

进(jìn)门(mén)以后(yǐhòu)把(bǎ)鞋(xié)放进(fàngjìn)鞋柜(xiéguì)里(lǐ)。When you come in, put your shoes in the shoe cupboard.

台灯(táidēng)desk lampNoun3

书桌(shūzhuō)上(shàng)有(yǒu)一(yì)盏(zhǎn)台灯(táidēng)。There is a lamp on the desk.

Measure word: 盏(zhǎn), as for any lamp.

衣柜(yīguì)wardrobeNoun3

衣柜(yīguì)太(tài)小(xiǎo)了(le)，冬天(dōngtiān)的(de)衣服(yīfu)只好(zhǐhǎo)放(fàng)在(zài)箱子(xiāngzi)里(lǐ)。The wardrobe is too small, so the winter clothes have to go in a suitcase.

抽屉(chōuti)drawerNoun3

护照(hùzhào)在(zài)最(zuì)上面(shàngmiàn)的(de)抽屉(chōuti)里(lǐ)。The passport is in the top drawer.

灯泡(dēngpào)light bulbNoun3

厨房(chúfáng)的(de)灯泡(dēngpào)坏(huài)了(le)，得(děi)换(huàn)个(ge)新(xīn)的(de)。The light bulb in the kitchen has gone; it needs replacing.

窗帘(chuānglián)curtainNoun3

阳光(yángguāng)太(tài)亮(liàng)了(le)，快(kuài)把(bǎ)窗帘(chuānglián)拉上(lāshàng)。The sun is too bright; quick, draw the curtains.

窗台(chuāngtái)windowsillNoun3

窗台(chuāngtái)上(shàng)放(fàng)着(zhe)几(jǐ)盆(pén)花(huā)。There are a few pots of flowers on the windowsill.

走廊(zǒuláng)corridor; hallwayNoun3

请(qǐng)不要(búyào)把(bǎ)自行车(zìxíngchē)放(fàng)在(zài)走廊(zǒuláng)里(lǐ)。Please do not leave bicycles in the corridor.

阳台(yángtái)balconyNoun3

我们(wǒmen)在(zài)阳台(yángtái)上(shàng)种(zhòng)了(le)一些(yìxiē)花(huā)。We have planted some flowers on the balcony.

车库(chēkù)garageNoun3

他(tā)把(bǎ)车(chē)停(tíng)在(zài)车库(chēkù)里(lǐ)。He parked the car in the garage.

家电(jiādiàn)household appliancesNoun3

新(xīn)房子(fángzi)里(lǐ)的(de)家电(jiādiàn)都(dōu)是(shì)新(xīn)买(mǎi)的(de)。All the appliances in the new flat are newly bought.

Short for 家用(jiāyòng)电器(diànqì).

楼(lóu)building; floor (of a building)Noun3

我(wǒ)家(jiā)住(zhù)在(zài)六(liù)楼(lóu)。We live on the sixth floor.

Measure word for a building: 栋(dòng).

电梯(diàntī)liftNoun3

电梯(diàntī)坏(huài)了(le)，我们(wǒmen)只好(zhǐhǎo)走(zǒu)上去(shàngqu)。The lift is broken, so we will have to walk up.

楼梯(lóutī)stairs; staircaseNoun3

下(xià)楼梯(lóutī)的(de)时候(shíhou)慢(màn)一点儿(yìdiǎnr)。Go a bit more slowly on the stairs.

钥匙(yàoshi)keyNoun2

我(wǒ)把(bǎ)钥匙(yàoshi)忘(wàng)在(zài)办公室(bàngōngshì)了(le)。I left my keys at the office.

Measure word: 把(bǎ).

门铃(ménlíng)doorbellNoun3

门铃(ménlíng)响(xiǎng)了(le)，可能(kěnéng)是(shì)妈妈(māma)回来(huílai)了(le)。The doorbell is ringing; it might be Mum coming home.

地毯(dìtǎn)carpet; rugNoun3

客厅(kètīng)里(lǐ)铺(pū)着(zhe)一(yí)块(kuài)很(hěn)大(dà)的(de)地毯(dìtǎn)。There is a big rug on the living-room floor.

水电费(shuǐdiànfèi)water and electricity billsNoun3

每(měi)个(ge)月(yuè)的(de)水电费(shuǐdiànfèi)大概(dàgài)两百(liǎngbǎi)块(kuài)。The water and electricity bills come to about two hundred yuan a month.

屋子(wūzi)roomNoun3

屋子(wūzi)里(lǐ)太(tài)热(rè)了(le)，开(kāi)一下(yíxià)窗户(chuānghu)吧(ba)。It is too hot in here; let’s open the window for a bit.

Colloquial, especially in the north; 房间(fángjiān) is neutral.

Adjective (2)

宽敞(kuānchang)spacious; roomyAdjective3

新(xīn)家(jiā)比(bǐ)以前(yǐqián)的(de)宽敞(kuānchang)多(duō)了(le)。The new home is much roomier than the old one.

舒适(shūshì)comfortableAdjective3

这(zhè)家(jiā)酒店(jiǔdiàn)的(de)房间(fángjiān)又(yòu)干净(gānjìng)又(yòu)舒适(shūshì)。The rooms in this hotel are clean and comfortable.

Said of places and things; how a person feels is 舒服(shūfu).

Measure word (1)

层(céng)storey; layerMeasure word3

这(zhè)栋(dòng)楼(lóu)一共(yígòng)有(yǒu)三十(sānshí)层(céng)。This building has thirty storeys in all.

Counts storeys; to say which floor somebody lives on, 楼(lóu) is more usual.

Place word (1)

隔壁(gébì)next doorPlace word3

隔壁(gébì)住(zhù)着(zhe)一(yì)家(jiā)三(sān)口(kǒu)。A family of three lives next door.

This list belongs to Home and daily life — five lists and 200 words that can also be practised as a whole.

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Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.