adjective / noun HSK 4
household use · domestic use · for home use · household expenses
Meaning
家用 refers to things designed for or used in the home, or to the money needed to maintain a household. As an adjective, it modifies nouns to indicate 'for home/household use' (家用电器 = household appliances). As a noun, it means household expenses or the money needed to run a family.
Usage
Most commonly used as an adjective before nouns to distinguish household items from commercial or industrial ones. When used as a noun meaning 'household expenses,' it's somewhat formal and more common in written contexts or when discussing family budgets.
Examples
- 01我想买一台家用打印机。.I want to buy a home printer.
- 02他每个月给父母寄家用。.He sends money for household expenses to his parents every month.
Characters
Common collocations
- 家用电器household appliances
- 家用汽车family car
- 家用电脑home computer
- 家用开支household expenses
Antonyms
Origin
Compound of 家 (home/family) and 用 (use/purpose), literally 'home use.' The term naturally evolved to describe both things used at home and the expenses required to maintain a household.