租赁

• Pinyin: zū lìn
• Hanzi breakdown: 租 = 禾 + 且 (grain + moreover — original tax on grain); 赁 = 任 + 贝 (entrust + shell/money)

Meaning

To lease; to rent. The formal term for a contractual arrangement in which one party pays for the temporary use of property, equipment, or other assets.

More formal and broader than 租, covering commercial leasing, vehicle rental, equipment hire, and property letting. Common in legal, business, and financial contexts. Appears in 租赁合同, 融资租赁.

Examples

1. 该公司通过融资租赁的方式引进了一批先进的生产设备，大幅降低了初期资本投入。 The company brought in a batch of advanced production equipment through financial leasing, greatly reducing upfront capital investment.
2. 新修订的商业租赁法规对租赁双方的权利与义务作出了更为明确的界定。 The newly revised commercial leasing regulations define the rights and obligations of both parties more clearly.
3. 共享经济的兴起使得短期租赁模式在交通、住宿等领域得到了广泛应用。 The rise of the sharing economy has led to widespread use of short-term rental models in transportation, lodging, and other areas.

Usage Guide

Context: business, law, real estate, finance

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 公司决定以租赁形式取代购置，以减轻资产负债表的压力。(The company decided to lease rather than purchase assets to reduce balance sheet pressure.)
• 该园区为入驻企业提供厂房租赁及配套行政服务。(The park provides factory leasing and supporting administrative services to resident enterprises.)

Don't Say

• 租赁一本书 — 租赁 is used for substantial assets; for borrowing books or small items use 借 or 租; 租赁 implies a formal contractual arrangement

Origin & History

租 (rent/hire) + 赁 (hire/lease)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal