Renting an Apartment
intermediate租房
Learn to search for apartments, communicate with landlords and agents, sign a lease, and handle common housing issues in Chinese.
35 words12 phrases2 dialogues~30 min study time
Vocabulary
35 words — click any row for an example sentence
Listing
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 租房 | zūfáng | to rent a house/apartment | verb |
| 房租 | fángzū | rent (the payment) | noun |
| 一室一厅 | yì shì yì tīng | one bedroom one living room | noun |
| 两室一厅 | liǎng shì yì tīng | two bedrooms one living room | noun |
| 合租 | hézū | to share a rental; shared apartment | verb |
| 整租 | zhěngzū | to rent the entire apartment | verb |
| 公寓 | gōngyù | apartment; flat | noun |
| 小区 | xiǎoqū | residential compound; housing complex | noun |
Viewing
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 看房 | kàn fáng | to view an apartment | verb |
| 朝向 | cháoxiàng | facing direction; orientation | noun |
| 楼层 | lóucéng | floor (level of a building) | noun |
| 装修 | zhuāngxiū | decoration; renovation; to renovate | noun |
| 家具 | jiājù | furniture | noun |
| 家电 | jiādiàn | home appliances | noun |
| 采光 | cǎiguāng | natural lighting | noun |
| 面积 | miànjī | area; size (in square meters) | noun |
| 电梯 | diàntī | elevator | noun |
Contract
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 合同 | hétong | contract; lease | noun |
| 押金 | yājīn | deposit; security deposit | noun |
| 房东 | fángdōng | landlord | noun |
| 中介 | zhōngjiè | agent; intermediary; agency | noun |
| 签约 | qiānyuē | to sign a contract | verb |
| 水电费 | shuǐdiàn fèi | water and electricity bills; utilities | noun |
| 物业费 | wùyè fèi | property management fee | noun |
| 租期 | zūqī | lease term; rental period | noun |
| 退租 | tuìzū | to terminate a lease; to move out | verb |
Issues
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 漏水 | lòu shuǐ | to leak water; water leak | verb |
| 坏了 | huài le | broken; out of order | phrase |
| 修理 | xiūlǐ | to repair; to fix | verb |
| 邻居 | línjū | neighbor | noun |
| 噪音 | zàoyīn | noise | noun |
| 暖气 | nuǎnqì | heating | noun |
| 搬家 | bānjiā | to move (house) | verb |
| 钥匙 | yàoshi | key | noun |
| 网络 | wǎngluò | internet; network | noun |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
我想租一套房子。
Wǒ xiǎng zū yí tào fángzi.
I want to rent an apartment.
Starting a conversation with an agent or landlord about renting.
房租一个月多少钱？
Fángzū yí ge yuè duōshao qián?
How much is the rent per month?
Asking about the monthly rental price.
可以看看房子吗？
Kěyǐ kànkan fángzi ma?
Can I take a look at the apartment?
Requesting to view the apartment before deciding.
押一付三是什么意思？
Yā yī fù sān shì shénme yìsi?
What does "one month deposit, three months rent" mean?
Asking about the common Chinese payment structure for rental deposits.
水电费怎么算？
Shuǐdiàn fèi zěnme suàn?
How are utilities calculated?
Asking how water and electricity bills are handled.
这套房子带家具吗？
Zhè tào fángzi dài jiājù ma?
Does this apartment come with furniture?
Checking whether the apartment is furnished before renting.
合同签多长时间的？
Hétong qiān duō cháng shíjiān de?
How long is the lease for?
Asking about the lease duration before signing.
可以养宠物吗？
Kěyǐ yǎng chǒngwù ma?
Am I allowed to keep pets?
Checking pet policies with the landlord before signing the lease.
空调坏了，能找人来修吗？
Kōngtiáo huài le, néng zhǎo rén lái xiū ma?
The AC is broken. Can you send someone to fix it?
Reporting a broken appliance to the landlord and requesting repairs.
我想提前退租。
Wǒ xiǎng tíqián tuìzū.
I would like to terminate the lease early.
Informing the landlord about early lease termination.
离地铁站远不远？
Lí dìtiě zhàn yuǎn bù yuǎn?
Is it far from the subway station?
Asking about the apartment's proximity to public transportation.
附近有超市吗？
Fùjìn yǒu chāoshì ma?
Is there a supermarket nearby?
Asking about the convenience of the neighborhood.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
Viewing an Apartment with an Agent
A tenant meets a real estate agent to view an apartment for rent. They discuss the apartment's features, price, and lease terms.
Speaker A
你好，我在网上看到了你们发的租房信息，想来看看房子。
Speaker B
欢迎欢迎。这是一套两室一厅的，在十二楼，朝南，采光非常好。
Speaker A
装修怎么样？带家具和家电吗？
Speaker B
精装修的，家具齐全，冰箱、洗衣机、空调都有。可以直接拎包入住。
Speaker A
房租一个月多少钱？水电费包不包？
Speaker B
房租五千五一个月，水电费和网费自理。押一付三，中介费半个月房租。
Speaker A
押一付三有点压力大。能不能押一付一？
Speaker B
这个要跟房东商量一下。您要是满意的话，我帮您联系房东谈一谈。
Cultural note: In China, rental agents (中介) are the most common way to find apartments in major cities. The standard payment structure is 押一付三 (one month deposit plus three months rent paid upfront), which requires a significant initial outlay. Agent fees typically range from half to one full month's rent.
Reporting a Problem to the Landlord
A tenant contacts the landlord via phone to report a water leak in the bathroom and request repairs.
Speaker A
王姐，您好，我是住602的租客小李。有个问题想跟您说一下。
Speaker B
小李啊，什么问题？
Speaker A
卫生间的水管漏水了，地上都是水。我拿桶接着呢，但是漏得越来越厉害。
Speaker B
哎呀，那赶紧先把水阀关了。我马上联系维修师傅过去看看。
Speaker A
好的，水阀我已经关了。修理费谁来付呢？
Speaker B
水管老化是正常的，修理费我来出。你放心，明天上午师傅就能过去。
Speaker A
太好了，谢谢王姐。那我明天上午在家等着。
Speaker B
不客气，有什么问题随时给我打电话。
Cultural note: In China, tenants often communicate with landlords directly via WeChat or phone rather than through a property management company. Addressing someone as 姐 (jiě, older sister) or 哥 (gē, older brother) even when they are not relatives is common and creates a warm, familiar tone. Repair costs for normal wear and tear are generally the landlord's responsibility.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the Renting an Apartment Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
8 of 35 words appear in HSK levels
Further Reading
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