noun HSK 4
room · chamber · office
Meaning
室 means 'room' or 'chamber' and is commonly used in formal or written contexts to refer to enclosed spaces. It appears frequently in compound words for specific types of rooms, such as offices, laboratories, or bedrooms.
Usage
室 is typically not used alone in spoken Chinese; it almost always appears in compounds. Native speakers use it to form words like 教室 (classroom), 办公室 (office), or 卧室 (bedroom). It has a more formal register than 房间.
Examples
- 01这间办公室很宽敞。.This office is very spacious.
- 02学生们都在教室里上课。.The students are all attending class in the classroom.
Measure words
- 间一间教室
Common collocations
- 教室classroom
- 办公室office
- 卧室bedroom
- 实验室laboratory
Origin
The character 室 originally depicted a house with a roof (宀) and people or space inside, representing an enclosed dwelling or chamber.