家 jiā home
home; family; measure word for businesses; expert
How to remember 家: 宀 roof + 豕 pig = home. A farmer grins and says "Only a roof with pigs under it is what you can call a real home."
Component breakdown
形声 · Meaning + sound
originally 宀 + 𢑓
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
家 = 宀 roof + 豕 pig
- 宀 roof meaning
- 豕 pig shape only
A farmer grins and says "Only a roof with pigs under it is what you can call a real home."
How it came to be
The oldest form is a boar under a roof: the roof gives the meaning, and the boar the sound.
How it is used
- 'Home / family': 家人 (jiārén) family members, 回家 (huí jiā) go home, 搬家 (bānjiā) move house.
- As a suffix -家 marks a professional or expert: 画家 (huàjiā) painter, 作家 (zuòjiā) author, 科学家 (kēxuéjiā) scientist.
- Also the measure word for businesses/establishments: 一家公司 (yì jiā gōngsī) a company, 三家餐厅 (sān jiā cāntīng) three restaurants.
Characters built with 家
Words with 家
- 大家dàjiāeveryoneHSK 1
- 家人jiārénfamily memberHSK 1
- 国家guójiācountryHSK 3
- 搬家bānjiāto move houseHSK 3
- 画家huàjiāpainterHSK 3
- 作家zuòjiāauthorHSK 4
- 家具jiājùfurnitureHSK 4
- 家乡jiāxiānghometownHSK 4
- 家庭jiātíngfamilyHSK 4
- 家长jiāzhǎnghead of a householdHSK 4
- 老家lǎojiānative placeHSK 4
- 专家zhuānjiāexpertHSK 5
- 商家shāngjiāmerchantHSK 5
- 家务jiāwùhousehold dutiesHSK 5
- 家电jiādiànhousehold electric applianceHSK 5
- 人家rénjiaother peopleHSK 6
- 千家万户qiānjiā-wànhùevery family (idiom)HSK 6
- 厂家chǎngjiāfactoryHSK 6
- 家园jiāyuánhomeHSK 6
- 家家户户jiājiāhùhùeach and every family (idiom)HSK 6
- 家居jiājūhomeHSK 6
- 家属jiāshǔfamily memberHSK 6
- 家常jiāchángthe daily life of a familyHSK 6
- 家世jiāshìfamily backgroundHSK 7
- 家伙jiāhuohousehold dish, implement or furnitureHSK 7
- 家境jiājìngfamily financial situationHSK 7
- 家教jiājiàofamily educationHSK 7
- 家族jiāzúfamilyHSK 7
- 家用jiāyònghome-useHSK 7
- 成家chéngjiāto settle down and get married (of a man)HSK 7
- 管家guǎnjiābutlerHSK 7
- 老人家lǎorenjiapolite term for old woman or manHSK 7
- 行家hángjiaconnoisseurHSK 7
- 倾家荡产qīngjiā-dàngchǎnto lose a family fortune (idiom)HSK 8
- 家喻户晓jiāyù-hùxiǎounderstood by everyone (idiom)HSK 8
- 家政jiāzhènghousekeepingHSK 8
- 家禽jiāqínpoultryHSK 8
- 成家立业chéngjiā-lìyèto get married and start a career (idiom)HSK 8
- 挨家挨户āijiā-āihùto go from house to houseHSK 8
- 无家可归wújiā-kěguīhomelessHSK 8
Example sentences
- 这是我家。 Zhè shì wǒ jiā.This is my house.
- 我家有四个人。 Wǒ jiā yǒu sì gè rén.There are four people in my family.
- 时间很晚了，我们回家吧！ Shíjiān hěn wǎn le, wǒmen huíjiā ba!It's very late, so let's go home!
- 我家在二楼。 Wǒ jiā zài èr lóu.My home is on the second floor.