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| 租 [2025/08/14 11:04] – created xiaoer | 租 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== zū: 租 - To Rent, To Lease, To Hire ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** zu, zū, 租, rent in Chinese, how to say rent in Chinese, renting an apartment in China, hire a car Chinese, Chinese word for lease, 房租 (fángzū), 出租 (chūzū), landlord, tenant in Chinese. | |
| * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese verb **租 (zū)**, meaning "to rent," "to lease," or "to hire." This page provides a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to understand how to talk about renting in China, a crucial skill for daily life. From finding an apartment (租房子) and discussing rent (房租) to hiring a car (租车), we cover the core meaning, cultural context, and practical examples to help you navigate the rental market in China with confidence. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** zū | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Verb | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 2 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** To pay money to use something (like a house, car, or equipment) for a period of time. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** **租 (zū)** is the fundamental action of renting something from someone else. If you are the person paying money to use an item, you are the one doing the **租** action. It's a transactional word that always implies a payment is involved, distinguishing it from borrowing for free. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **禾 (hé):** This radical means "grain" or "cereal." In ancient China, grain was a primary form of currency and was often used to pay taxes or fees. Its presence here points to the payment aspect of renting. | |
| * **且 (qiě):** Originally a pictogram of an ancestral tablet, it primarily serves as the phonetic component in this character, giving **租** its "zu" sound. | |
| The characters combine to form the idea of paying a fee (originally with **禾** grain) to use something, which directly evolves into the modern meaning of "to rent." | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| In modern China, **租 (zū)** is a word that defines a major life stage for millions, particularly for the young generation. The dream of homeownership is deeply ingrained in Chinese culture, often seen as a prerequisite for marriage and stability. Consequently, renting is widely viewed as a temporary, transitional phase—a necessary step while one saves up to buy a property. | |
| This contrasts with many Western cultures where long-term renting is common and socially accepted. In China, living in a rented apartment (租的房子) can sometimes carry a slight connotation of instability compared to owning one's own home (自己的房子). | |
| A key practical aspect of renting in China is the payment structure. It's very common for landlords to require a payment of "押一付三" (yā yī fù sān), which means "one month's rent as a security deposit, and three months' rent paid in advance." For a beginner, understanding this practice and the associated vocabulary is crucial for a smooth rental experience. The role of the real estate agent (中介 zhōngjiè) is also far more central and almost unavoidable in major cities. | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| **租 (zū)** is a high-frequency word used in various everyday situations. | |
| * **Renting Housing:** The most common use is for renting an apartment or house (租房子 zū fángzi). You will use it when talking to agents, landlords, or friends about your living situation. | |
| * **Hiring Vehicles:** It's also used for short-term rentals, such as hiring a car (租车 zū chē) for a trip or renting a bike. | |
| * **As part of other words:** It forms many essential compound words related to renting: | |
| * **出租 (chūzū):** "To rent out." This is what the landlord or rental company does. You see it on signs for apartments for rent and on taxis (出租车 chūzūchē). | |
| * **房租 (fángzū):** "Rent" (the noun), as in the money you pay for rent. | |
| * **合租 (hézū):** "To co-rent" or share a flat with roommates. This is extremely common among students and young professionals. | |
| The connotation of **租** itself is neutral; it's a simple transactional verb. | |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | |
| * **Example 1:** | |
| * 我下个月想在市中心**租**一个公寓。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wǒ xià ge yuè xiǎng zài shìzhōngxīn **zū** yí ge gōngyù. | |
| * English: I want to rent an apartment in the city center next month. | |
| * Analysis: A classic, straightforward use of **租** to express the intention of renting a place. This is a sentence you would use when starting your apartment search. | |
| * **Example 2:** | |
| * 我们去旅游的时候可以**租**一辆车。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wǒmen qù lǚyóu de shíhou kěyǐ **zū** yì liàng chē. | |
| * English: We can hire a car when we go traveling. | |
| * Analysis: This shows **租** being used for something other than housing. Here, it means "to hire" or "to rent" a vehicle. | |
| * **Example 3:** | |
| * 这套公寓是你买的还是**租**的？ | |
| * Pinyin: Zhè tào gōngyù shì nǐ mǎi de háishì **zū** de? | |
| * English: Is this apartment one you bought or one you rent? | |
| * Analysis: A very common question in China that reflects the cultural importance of homeownership. The `是...的` structure is used here to emphasize the nature of the acquisition (buying vs. renting). | |
| * **Example 4:** | |
| * 他把他的空房间**租**给了一个学生。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā bǎ tā de kōng fángjiān **zū** gěi le yí ge xuéshēng. | |
| * English: He rented his empty room out to a student. | |
| * Analysis: The structure `租给 (zū gěi)` means "to rent out to someone." It clarifies who the recipient of the rental is. | |
| * **Example 5:** | |
| * 我的朋友们在上海**合租**一个大房子。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wǒ de péngyoumen zài Shànghǎi **hézū** yí ge dà fángzi. | |
| * English: My friends are sharing a big rented house in Shanghai. | |
| * Analysis: This introduces the compound word [[合租]] (hézū), which literally means "to combine and rent." It's the standard term for having roommates. | |
| * **Example 6:** | |
| * 你每个月的房**租**是多少钱？ | |
| * Pinyin: Nǐ měi ge yuè de fáng**zū** shì duōshao qián? | |
| * English: How much is your monthly rent? | |
| * Analysis: This example uses the noun [[房租]] (fángzū), "house rent." This is a key vocabulary word you must | |