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管家 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
管家guǎnjiāhousekeeperHSK 7, unknown, 24 strokes, rank #5683, Very Hard
管家guǎnjiābutlerHSK 7, unknown, 24 strokes, rank #5683, Very Hard
管家guǎnjiāmanage one's householdHSK 7, unknown, 24 strokes, rank #5683, Very Hard
guǎnjiā(guan3jia1)guan jia T3
  1. 1housekeeper
  2. 2butler
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March 24, 2026

管家guǎnjiā(guan3jia1)

管家 (guǎnjiā) refers to a housekeeper or butler, someone responsible for managing a household's daily operations. This term is commonly used in contexts involving domestic management and service, often implying a role of authority and responsibility in household affairs.

Strokes24Frequency#5683DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese households, a 管家 often held a significant position, overseeing not just household chores but also the management of family affairs and finances, reflecting the importance of organized domestic life in Chinese culture.

Memory tip

Imagine a '管' (pipe) that channels all the responsibilities of the household to the '家' (home). Just like a manager directing tasks through a pipe, the housekeeper ensures everything runs smoothly at home. The pronunciation 'guan' sounds like 'gone' as in a housekeeper is always 'gone' managing things behind the scenes.

Meanings of 管家

guǎnjiā(guan3jia1)
1housekeeper
2butler
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About 管家

管家Simplified
24Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedBCT✓CEFRC2

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Podcast: 管家

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AI study notes for 管家

Quick Contrast

管事 (guǎnshì) - choose 管家 when emphasizing the role of a housekeeper or butler specifically, rather than a general manager of affairs.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 管家 with other terms for 'manager' that are more business-oriented. This word is typically used in informal contexts relating to home management. Common collocations include '聘请管家' (hire a housekeeper) or '管家服务' (butler service).

HSK Study Tips

While 管家 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to levels focusing on household-related terms and roles. Students should practice using it in sentences describing daily life and responsibilities at home, which is a common theme in beginner and intermediate levels.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 管家 with 家长 (jiāzhǎng), which means 'head of the family'. A wrong example would be saying '我家长管理我的家' (wǒ jiāzhǎng guǎnlǐ wǒ de jiā), which should be corrected to '我管家管理我的家' (wǒ guǎnjiā guǎnlǐ wǒ de jiā).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 管家

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Component characters

管guǎnto take care (of)
HSK 414 strokes⺮
View full entry
家jiāhome
HSK 110 strokes宀
View full entry

How to say housekeeper in Chinese

“housekeeper” in Chinese is管家guǎnjiā

管家 (guǎnjiā) refers to a housekeeper or butler, someone responsible for managing a household's daily operations. This term is commonly used in contexts involving domestic management and service, often implying a role of authority and responsibility in household affairs.

When to use 管家

Be careful not to confuse 管家 with other terms for 'manager' that are more business-oriented. This word is typically used in informal contexts relating to home management. Common collocations include '聘请管家' (hire a housekeeper) or '管家服务' (butler service).

管家 or something close to it

管事 (guǎnshì) - choose 管家 when emphasizing the role of a housekeeper or butler specifically, rather than a general manager of affairs.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 管家 with 家长 (jiāzhǎng), which means 'head of the family'. A wrong example would be saying '我家长管理我的家' (wǒ jiāzhǎng guǎnlǐ wǒ de jiā), which should be corrected to '我管家管理我的家' (wǒ guǎnjiā guǎnlǐ wǒ de jiā).

Write 管家

管
家

Practice writing 管家 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Frequently asked questions about 管家

While traditionally associated with wealth, in modern contexts, 管家 can also refer to anyone managing a household, regardless of economic status.

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