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在家 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
在家zàijiāat homeHSK 1, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #2609, Easy
zàijiā(zai4 jia1)
  1. 1at home
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

在家zàijiā(zai4 jia1)

在家 (zài jiā) means 'at home' in Mandarin. It is commonly used to indicate someone's location or to express activities occurring within the home. The phrase can also imply a sense of comfort and security associated with being in one's own space.

Strokes16Frequency#2609DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of home (家) carries deep significance, often associated with family ties and communal living. Many festivals and traditions emphasize the importance of being at home with loved ones.

Memory Tip

Imagine a cozy house (家) where you feel safe (在). The character 在, which resembles a person standing under a roof, signifies 'being' or 'at', while 家 looks like a house. Think of 'zài' as 'sigh' in relief when you finally get home.

Meanings of 在家

zàijiā(zai4 jia1)
1at home
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About 在家

在家Simplified
16Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1BCT✓CEFRA1

Podcast: 在家

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Podcast: 在家

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AI Study Notes for 在家

Usage Notes

Be careful with the tone; 在 (zài) has a falling tone which can change meaning if mispronounced. It's commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, but be mindful of the context in which you are discussing home life, as it can vary in formality.

HSK Study Tips

在家 is relevant for HSK Level 1 as it introduces students to basic location phrases. Focus on practicing sentence structures that use this phrase, such as '我在家' (I am at home) to build foundational conversation skills.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 在家 with 在外 (zài wài), which means 'outside' or 'out'. For example, saying '我在外' when you mean 'I am at home' is incorrect; use '我在家' instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 在家

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Component Characters

在zài(located) at
HSK 16 strokes土
View full entry
家jiāhome
HSK 110 strokes宀
View full entry

How to say at home in Chinese

“at home” in Chinese is在家zàijiā

在家 (zài jiā) means 'at home' in Mandarin. It is commonly used to indicate someone's location or to express activities occurring within the home. The phrase can also imply a sense of comfort and security associated with being in one's own space.

When to use 在家

Be careful with the tone; 在 (zài) has a falling tone which can change meaning if mispronounced. It's commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, but be mindful of the context in which you are discussing home life, as it can vary in formality.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 在家 with 在外 (zài wài), which means 'outside' or 'out'. For example, saying '我在外' when you mean 'I am at home' is incorrect; use '我在家' instead.

Write 在家

在
家

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 在家

You can say '我在家' (Wǒ zài jiā) meaning 'I am at home'.

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