kètīng: 客厅 - Living Room, Sitting Room, Parlor

• Keywords: keting, 客厅, Chinese living room, living room in Chinese, Chinese sitting room, 客厅 meaning, guest hall, Chinese home layout, family room in Chinese, HSK 2 vocabulary
• Summary: 客厅 (kètīng) is the Chinese word for “living room” or “sitting room.” Literally translating to “guest hall,” the 客厅 is the central space in a Chinese home for entertaining visitors, family gatherings, and daily relaxation. Understanding this term provides insight into the importance of hospitality and family life in Chinese culture, making it an essential vocabulary word for anyone learning about modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kètīng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: The main room in a house used for entertaining guests and for general family relaxation; the living room.
• In a Nutshell: “客厅” literally means “guest hall.” This name highlights its primary social function: it's the most public room in the house and the main stage for hosting visitors. It's also the default space where the family gathers to watch TV, chat, and spend time together, combining the functions of a Western formal living room and a casual family room.

• 客 (kè): This character means “guest,” “visitor,” or “customer.” It's composed of a roof (宀) over a pictograph representing a person arriving. This visually suggests a visitor coming to a home.
• 厅 (tīng): This character means “hall” or a large, central room. Its structure suggests a spacious building or chamber, often for public or official use.
• When combined, 客厅 (kètīng) forms the logical concept of a “hall for guests”—the room specifically designated for receiving and entertaining visitors.

The term 客厅 (kètīng) reveals a key aspect of Chinese culture: the importance of hospitality and “face” (面子, miànzi). Unlike the English term “living room,” which emphasizes family life, the Chinese term emphasizes the room's function for guests. The 客厅 is traditionally the largest and most well-appointed room in a modern Chinese home. It's where a family presents its public image—its taste, cleanliness, and economic status—to the outside world. Display cabinets with nice tea sets, calligraphy, or other decorations are common. The act of inviting someone into your home and hosting them in the 客厅 with tea and snacks is a fundamental social ritual. Compared to Western homes, which might distinguish between a formal “living room” (often for guests and rarely used) and a casual “family room” or “den” (for daily life), the Chinese 客厅 serves both roles. It is the formal reception area, but it is also the primary hub of daily family activity, especially in the evenings. This dual function makes it the undisputed heart of the home.

In daily life, 客厅 is a standard, neutral term used in many contexts:

• At Home: It's the default location for family activities like watching TV, chatting, or simply relaxing together after work and school.
• Hosting Guests: When visitors arrive, they are immediately led to the 客厅 and offered a seat (usually on the main sofa), tea, and fruit or snacks.
• Real Estate and Design: The size, layout, and lighting (采光, cǎiguāng) of the 客厅 are major selling points for apartments. An open-plan living and dining room (客餐厅, kècāntīng) is a very common design.
• Conversation: People will frequently refer to the 客厅 when making plans or giving directions within a home, e.g., “Just leave the bags in the living room.” (把包放在客厅吧。)

• Example 1:
  • 我们家的客厅很大。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen jiā de kètīng hěn dà.
  • English: Our family's living room is very big.
  • Analysis: A simple descriptive sentence using 的 (de) to show possession. This is a common way to describe one's home.
• Example 2:
  • 客人来了，请他们到客厅坐。
  • Pinyin: Kèrén lái le, qǐng tāmen dào kètīng zuò.
  • English: The guests have arrived, please have them sit in the living room.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the primary function of the 客厅 as a “guest hall” (客人 - kèrén).
• Example 3:
  • 晚饭后，我们全家都在客厅看电视。
  • Pinyin: Wǎnfàn hòu, wǒmen quánjiā dōu zài kètīng kàn diànshì.
  • English: After dinner, our whole family watches TV in the living room.
  • Analysis: This shows the 客厅's role as the center of family life. 在 (zài) is used to indicate the location of the action.
• Example 4:
  • 妈妈让我打扫一下客厅。
  • Pinyin: Māma ràng wǒ dǎsǎo yīxià kètīng.
  • English: Mom asked me to clean up the living room a bit.
  • Analysis: A common household chore. 让 (ràng) means “to let” or “to have someone do something.” 一下 (yīxià) softens the command, making it sound more like “clean up a bit.”
• Example 5:
  • 客厅里有一套新沙发。
  • Pinyin: Kètīng lǐ yǒu yī tào xīn shāfā.
  • English: There is a new sofa set in the living room.
  • Analysis: The location word 里 (lǐ), meaning “inside,” is often paired with place nouns like 客厅. 一套 (yī tào) is a measure word for a set of things, like furniture or clothes.
• Example 6:
  • 请把水果放在客厅的桌子上。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ shuǐguǒ fàng zài kètīng de zhuōzi shàng.
  • English: Please put the fruit on the table in the living room.
  • Analysis: This uses the 把 (bǎ) structure to emphasize the object (fruit) and what is being done to it.
• Example 7:
  • 这套公寓的客厅采光特别好。
  • Pinyin: Zhè tào gōngyù de kètīng cǎiguāng tèbié hǎo.
  • English: This apartment's living room has especially good natural lighting.
  • Analysis: A typical sentence you might hear when looking at real estate. 采光 (cǎiguāng) is a key term in this context.
• Example 8:
  • 孩子们喜欢在客厅的地板上玩。
  • Pinyin: Háizi men xǐhuān zài kètīng de dìbǎn shàng wán.
  • English: The children like to play on the living room floor.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the use of 客厅 as a setting for activities.
• Example 9:
  • 你为什么把湿雨伞带进客厅？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme bǎ shī yǔsǎn dài jìn kètīng?
  • English: Why did you bring the wet umbrella into the living room?
  • Analysis: A practical, everyday complaint. The verb complement 进 (jìn) indicates movement “into” the living room.
• Example 10:
  • 我觉得客厅的墙应该漆成白色。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ juéde kètīng de qiáng yīnggāi qī chéng báisè.
  • English: I think the living room walls should be painted white.
  • Analysis: Shows how to discuss decorating or making changes to the living room.

• 客厅 (kètīng) vs. 房间 (fángjiān): This is a very common mistake for beginners. 房间 (fángjiān) is the general word for “room.” 客厅 is specifically the “living room.” If you say “我们在房间里看电视” (We are watching TV in the room), it's grammatically correct but unclear—it could be a bedroom or any other room. To be specific, you must say “我们在客厅里看电视.”
• Don't Underestimate the “Guest” (客) aspect: While it functions as a family room, remember that its name and cultural weight are tied to hosting guests. In a cultural context, keeping the 客厅 clean and presentable is more important than, for example, a private bedroom (卧室, wòshì), because it reflects on the entire family's “face” (面子). It is the public-facing interior of the home.

• 房间 (fángjiān): Room. The general term for any room in a house.
• 卧室 (wòshì): Bedroom. The private sleeping area, contrasting with the public 客厅.
• 餐厅 (cāntīng): Dining room. The character 厅 (tīng) also appears here, meaning “dining hall.”
• 厨房 (chúfáng): Kitchen.
• 卫生间 (wèishēngjiān): Bathroom/restroom.
• 书房 (shūfáng): Study room / home office.
• 客人 (kèrén): Guest. The person for whom the 客厅 is named.
• 沙发 (shāfā): Sofa/couch. The most important piece of furniture in a modern 客厅.
• 请进 (qǐng jìn): “Please come in.” The phrase used to welcome guests into the home, usually leading them to the 客厅.
• 请坐 (qǐng zuò): “Please have a seat.” The phrase used once the guest is in the 客厅.