卧室

• Pinyin: wò shì
• Hanzi breakdown: 卧 = 臣 (minister) + 卜, to lie down; 室 = 宀 (roof) + 至, room

Meaning

Bedroom; a room used primarily for sleeping.

The standard term for bedroom in modern Chinese. Used in real estate listings, home descriptions, and everyday conversation. Can be counted as 一间卧室, 两间卧室, etc. In apartments, often specified as 主卧 (master bedroom) versus 次卧 (secondary bedroom).

Examples

1. 这套公寓有两间卧室，正好适合我们一家三口。 This apartment has two bedrooms, perfect for our family of three.
2. 他把卧室布置得很简洁，只有一张床和一个衣柜。 He decorated his bedroom simply, with just a bed and a wardrobe.
3. 孩子们的卧室在二楼，我们的主卧在一楼。 The children's bedrooms are on the second floor; our master bedroom is on the first.

Usage Guide

Context: housing, real estate, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 三室一厅的房子。(A three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment.)
• 卧室朝南采光很好。(The bedroom faces south with good natural lighting.)

Don't Say

• 我的卧室很睡觉 — 卧室 is a noun (room), not an adjective; say 我的卧室很适合睡觉

Origin & History

Compound of 卧 (to lie down/recline) + 室 (room), meaning a room for lying down.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal