Survival scene course
Home Chinese Phrases
Use these Chinese home and accommodation phrases for bathrooms, doors, keys, rooms, rent, and simple repair problems.
These are useful in hotels, apartments, homestays, and shared housing.
Start with the phrases that matter first
Use these phrases for the place you are staying and the people or objects around you. Pointing can identify an object, but a location question still needs a clear reference.
In a real conversation
The problem is a broken air conditioner. 我来看看 offers to inspect it; the reply does not yet say that a repair is complete or that a room change has been arranged.
kōng tiáo huài le.
The air conditioner is broken.
wǒ lái kàn kan.
I will take a look.
xiè xie.
Thank you.
How this scene usually goes
Staying somewhere in China, whether a hotel, a homestay, or a friend's spare room, runs on a few predictable moments. You arrive and get a key or a key card. Someone shows you the room, and the practical questions come fast: where the bathroom is, how the shower works, what the Wi-Fi password is. Small problems are normal and nobody minds you reporting them: a broken air conditioner, no hot water, a door that will not open. Hosts and hotel staff would rather hear 空调坏了 right away than a bad review later. The phrases on this page are ordered the way problems appear, from finding rooms on day one to reporting issues like a local.
Good to know
- Water-heater controls vary. Ask 热水怎么开？ (how do I turn on the hot water?) and follow the host's instructions; do not operate an unfamiliar heater, electrical control, or gas appliance by guessing.
- Shoes come off at the door in homes, and hosts will offer slippers. In hotels this is optional, but slippers are provided because floors are not always carpeted.
- Tap water is boiled before drinking. The electric kettle in your room is there for that reason; bottled water is the easy option.
- Chinese addresses are written from large to small: city, district, street, building, room. When someone sends you an address, keep the whole string together to show a driver.
Common mistakes
- Do not confuse 厕所 with bathroom as a room for bathing. It often means toilet/restroom.
- Do not wait to learn key and address until you have a problem.
- Do not use long sentences when reporting a problem. 空调坏了 is enough.
Quick practice
- Practice asking where the bathroom is.
- Practice one problem phrase such as 空调坏了.
- Trace the Chinese characters in the writing box on the homepage.
Related scenes
Home Chinese FAQ
How do I ask where the bathroom is?
Say 厕所在哪里.
How do I say the air conditioner is broken?
Say 空调坏了.
Are these phrases useful for hotels?
Yes. Many home phrases also work in hotels and rentals.
How do I ask for a towel?
Say 请给我一条毛巾 (qǐng gěi wǒ yì tiáo máo jīn). 毛巾 is towel, and 一条 is how towels are counted.
How do I say the room is too noisy?
Say 房间太吵了 (fáng jiān tài chǎo le). Ask politely if you can change rooms with 可以换房间吗？
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Keep learning
Chinese Hotel Phrases for Travelers: Match a reservation, understand a room's status, and report a concrete room problem.
How to Ask for the Bathroom in Chinese: Find the floor and entrance, or ask for an alternative when the first facility is closed.
Check your room before settling in
- Find the Wi-Fi password · 无线网密码
- Ask about hot water · 热水
- Confirm the checkout time · 退房时间
Looking for a different word? Search the full practice library.