房屋

• Pinyin: fáng wū
• Hanzi breakdown: 房 = 户 (door) + 方 (direction), meaning house; 屋 = 尸 (body/shelter) + 至 (arrive), meaning room/dwelling

Meaning

House; building; premises. A general term for residential or other buildings.

More formal than 房子, often used in official, legal, or real estate contexts. Refers to the physical structure of a building. Common in phrases like 房屋面积 (floor area) and 房屋中介 (real estate agent).

Examples

1. 这座房屋已经有一百多年的历史了。 This building already has over a hundred years of history.
2. 地震后很多房屋都倒塌了。 Many buildings collapsed after the earthquake.
3. 政府正在建设新的房屋来解决住房问题。 The government is constructing new housing to solve the housing problem.

Usage Guide

Context: real estate, official, legal

Tone: formal

Do Say

• 这栋房屋的面积有一百二十平方米。(This building has an area of 120 square metres.)
• 房屋的质量必须符合国家标准。(The quality of buildings must meet national standards.)

Don't Say

• 我的房屋很温暖 (In casual speech, don't use 房屋 to describe your home — use 房子 or 家 instead; 房屋 sounds too formal for everyday conversation)

Origin & History

Compound of 房 (house, room) and 屋 (room, dwelling), both meaning living quarters, combined for emphasis.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal