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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
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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
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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.
Memory Mnemonic
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.
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.
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.
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
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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 5 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。
fán shì bèi zhuā zhù de hái zǐ zài kè jiān yóu xì shí yào bèi liú zài wū lǐ。
Any child who is caught will be kept in at playtime.
Cultural Notes for 屋
🏮Cultural insight
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.
Word Family of 屋
Compounds12
喔o1onomatopoetic, the sound of crowing or crying
握wo4to hold
龌wo4narrow, small-minded; dirty (1)
渥wo4to enrich, to dye; to moisten, to soak
幄wo4tent; mosquito net
偓
剭
媉
楃
箼
腛
齷wo4narrow, small-minded; dirty (1)
Words Containing This Character17
屋wūhouse
房屋fángwūhouse
屋子wūzihouse
屋顶wūdǐngroof屋頂
小屋cabin
屋檐eaves屋簷
茅屋thatched cottage
屋面roof
名古屋Nagoya, city in Japan
屋脊roof ridge
咖啡屋café
堂屋central room of a traditional Chinese house
同屋roommate
爱屋及乌Love me, love my dog.愛屋及烏
鬼屋haunted house
草屋thatched hut
屋宇building
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
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.
