Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
屋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
屋
wū
house
HSK 5, n, 9 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1858, Hard
屋
wū
room
HSK 5, n, 9 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1858, Hard
屋
wū
building, house, shelter; room
HSK 5, n, 9 strokes, radical 尸, rank #1858, Hard
wū(wu1)wu T1
1house
2room
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
屋wū(wu1)
The character 屋 (wū) refers to a house or room, often indicating a physical space for living or storage. It is commonly used in contexts related to housing, architecture, and shelter, emphasizing the concept of a protective structure.
Strokes9Radical尸Frequency#1858DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of home (家, jiā) is deeply valued, and 屋 symbolizes not just a physical structure but also the warmth and safety of family life, especially during festivals like the Lunar New Year.
Memory tip
Imagine a roof (the top part of a house) represented by the character's top radical. Think of 'wū' as 'wooing' someone to come into your cozy house, where they will feel sheltered and safe.
Meanings of 屋
wū(wu1)
1house
2room
Exercise 1 of 3
By ear
Play it, then pick what 屋 means.
About 屋
屋Simplified
9Strokes
尸Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1858Frequency Rank
间Measure Word
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 屋
Podcast: 屋
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 屋
Quick Contrast
家 (jiā) refers to a home or family, emphasizing emotional and social aspects, while 屋 (wū) focuses on the physical structure.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 屋 with 室 (shì), which also means room but implies more of an enclosed space. 屋 is more informal and can be used in everyday conversations, while 室 might appear in formal contexts or specific terms like 会议室 (huìyì shì, conference room).
HSK Study Tips
屋 is not included in HSK levels but is useful for beginners due to its relevance in daily life. Students should focus on recognizing it in compound words like 房屋 (fángwū, house) and practice its usage in context.
Common Mistakes
Learners may mistakenly use 屋 when they mean to say 'room' in a more specific context, such as a classroom, instead of using 室. For example, saying '我在教室屋' instead of '我在教室' (Wǒ zài jiàoshì, I'm in the classroom).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 屋
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 屋, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 屋 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 屋?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 屋 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
The character 屋 (wū) refers to a house or room, often indicating a physical space for living or storage. It is commonly used in contexts related to housing, architecture, and shelter, emphasizing the concept of a protective structure.
When to use 屋
Learners often confuse 屋 with 室 (shì), which also means room but implies more of an enclosed space. 屋 is more informal and can be used in everyday conversations, while 室 might appear in formal contexts or specific terms like 会议室 (huìyì shì, conference room).
屋 or something close to it
家 (jiā) refers to a home or family, emphasizing emotional and social aspects, while 屋 (wū) focuses on the physical structure.
What learners get wrong
Learners may mistakenly use 屋 when they mean to say 'room' in a more specific context, such as a classroom, instead of using 室. For example, saying '我在教室屋' instead of '我在教室' (Wǒ zài jiàoshì, I'm in the classroom).
Write 屋
屋
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 屋 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar patterns of 屋
屋 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
He took Dickon by the hand to lead him into the house.
10
凡是被抓住的孩子在课间游戏时要被留在屋里。
fánshì bèi zhuāzhù de háizi zài kè jiān yóuxì shí yào bèi liú zài wū lǐ。
Any child who is caught will be kept in at playtime.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 屋?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
Word Family of 屋
Compounds12
喔ōonomatopoetic, the sound of crowing or crying
握wòto hold
龌wònarrow, small-minded; dirty (1)
渥wòto enrich, to dye; to moisten, to soak
幄wòtent; mosquito net
偓wò
剭wū
媉wò
楃wò
箼wū
腛wò
齷wònarrow, small-minded; dirty (1)
Words containing this character17
屋wūhouse
房屋fángwūhouse
屋子wūzihouse
屋顶wūdǐngroof屋頂
小屋xiǎowūcabin
屋檐wūyáneaves屋簷
茅屋máowūthatched cottage
屋面wūmiànroof
名古屋mínggǔwūNagoya, city in Japan
屋脊wūjǐroof ridge
咖啡屋kāfēiwūcafé
堂屋tángwūcentral room of a traditional Chinese house
同屋tóngwūroommate
爱屋及乌àiwūjíwūLove me, love my dog.愛屋及烏
鬼屋guǐwūhaunted house
草屋cǎowūthatched hut
屋宇wūyǔbuilding
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 屋
What does 喔 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 屋
屋 (wū) typically refers to a house or building, while 房 (fáng) is more commonly used to refer to a room or apartment. Both can describe living spaces, but 屋 emphasizes the structure and 房 emphasizes the individual spaces within it.
To use 屋 (wū) in a sentence, you can say something like '我家有三间屋' (Wǒ jiā yǒu sān jiān wū), which means 'My house has three rooms.' This shows how 屋 can refer to individual rooms within a house.
The word for 'room' in Chinese can be 屋 (wū) or 房 (fáng). 屋 is more general and can refer to a house as well, while 房 is specifically used for rooms within a building.
屋 (wū) translates to 'house' or 'room' in English. It refers to a physical building where people live or a specific room within a building. It is commonly used in everyday conversation when discussing living spaces.
You can say '我住在这栋屋里' (Wǒ zhù zài zhè dòng wū lǐ), meaning 'I live in this house.'
屋 refers more to the concept of a house or room, while 房 specifically refers to a room or a building used for living.
Generally, 屋 is used for residential buildings; for non-residential buildings, other terms are more appropriate.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 屋?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
