Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== fangdai: 房贷 - Mortgage, Home Loan ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** fángdài, 房贷, Chinese mortgage, China home loan, buying a house in China, apply for a mortgage, 还房贷, 房奴, Chinese real estate, housing loan * **Summary:** Learn everything about **房贷 (fángdài)**, the essential Chinese term for a **mortgage** or **home loan**. This guide breaks down the characters, explains the immense cultural significance of buying a house in China, and provides practical examples for how to discuss applying for, paying off, and stressing over a Chinese mortgage. Understand why this single word represents one of the biggest financial and life decisions for modern Chinese people. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** fángdài (fáng 2, dài 4) * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 * **Concise Definition:** A loan taken out to finance the purchase of real estate; a mortgage. * **In a Nutshell:** `房贷` is a straightforward compound word combining "house" and "loan." In China, it's more than just a financial term; it's a massive topic of conversation, a source of significant stress, and a major life goal for young adults and their families. The pressure to secure a `房贷` and buy a home is deeply woven into the fabric of modern Chinese society and aspirations. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **房 (fáng):** This character means "house," "building," or "room." It's derived from the radical `户 (hù)`, which originally depicted a single door, representing a household. `房` expands on this to mean the entire physical structure. * **贷 (dài):** This character means "to lend," "to borrow," or "a loan." It's composed of `代 (dài)` on top, which provides the sound, and `贝 (bèi)` on the bottom. `贝` means "shell," which was used as an early form of currency in ancient China, so it often relates to money, value, and transactions. * Together, `房 (house)` + `贷 (loan)` literally and logically means "house loan" or mortgage. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In modern China, the concept of `房贷` is tied to deep-seated cultural values about family, stability, and social status. * **Prerequisite for Marriage:** There's a popular saying that to get married, a man needs a car and a house (`有车有房 yǒu chē yǒu fáng`). While an oversimplification, it reflects the immense social pressure, particularly on men, to own property before starting a family. A prospective mother-in-law might evaluate a suitor based on his ability to provide a home, a phenomenon sometimes called the "mother-in-law economy" (`丈母娘经济 zhàngmǔniáng jīngjì`). * **Family Affair vs. Individual Endeavor:** Unlike in many Western cultures where getting a mortgage is primarily an individual's or a couple's responsibility, securing a `房贷` in China is often a collective family effort. It's common for parents and even grandparents to pool their life savings to help their child with the hefty down payment (`首付 shǒufù`). This is seen not as a handout, but as a crucial family investment in the next generation's future and stability. * **Symbol of Success:** Owning a home is a powerful symbol of having "made it." It provides a sense of security (`安全感 ānquángǎn`) and social standing (`面子 miànzi`) in a rapidly changing society. This contrasts with the West, where long-term renting is more common and carries less social stigma. The dream is not just to have a place to live, but to *own* it. This pressure leads to the popular slang term `房奴 (fángnú)`, or "mortgage slave," describing someone whose life revolves around paying off their home loan. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== `房贷` is a common topic in everyday conversations, from casual chats with friends to serious family discussions. * **Applying for a Loan:** When people are in the process of buying a home, they'll talk about `申请房贷 (shēnqǐng fángdài)` - applying for a mortgage. They will discuss interest rates (`利率 lìlǜ`), loan terms (`年限 niánxiàn`), and which bank (`银行 yínháng`) offers the best deal. * **The Monthly Grind:** Once they have the loan, the conversation shifts to `还房贷 (huán fángdài)` - repaying the mortgage. People will often talk about the pressure (`压力 yālì`) of the monthly payments. * **Slang and Social Media:** On platforms like Weibo and Douyin, young people often use the term `房奴 (fángnú)` to complain humorously or seriously about the burden of their mortgage, sharing memes and stories about sacrificing their lifestyle to make payments. The connotation of `房贷` is generally neutral-to-negative. It's a necessary evil—the key to homeownership, but also a source of significant and long-term financial stress. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我们下个月开始就要还**房贷**了，压力好大啊。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen xià ge yuè kāishǐ jiù yào huán **fángdài** le, yālì hǎo dà a. * English: We have to start paying our **mortgage** next month, the pressure is so immense. * Analysis: This is a very common complaint among new homeowners. `还 (huán)` means "to repay" or "to return," and is the standard verb used with `房贷`. * **Example 2:** * 为了申请**房贷**，我准备了好多材料。 * Pinyin: Wèile shēnqǐng **fángdài**, wǒ zhǔnbèi le hǎoduō cáiliào. * English: In order to apply for the **mortgage**, I prepared a lot of documents. * Analysis: `申请 (shēnqǐng)` means "to apply for." This sentence highlights the formal process of getting a home loan. * **Example 3:** * 你们的**房贷**利率是多少？ * Pinyin: Nǐmen de **fángdài** lìlǜ shì duōshao? * English: What is your **mortgage** interest rate? * Analysis: A practical and common question when discussing mortgages. `利率 (lìlǜ)` is the specific term for interest rate. * **Example 4:** * 他每个月的工资一大部分都用来还**房贷**了。 * Pinyin: Tā měi ge yuè de gōngzī yī dàbùfen dōu yònglái huán **fángdài** le. * English: A large portion of his monthly salary is used to pay off his **mortgage**. * Analysis: This sentence illustrates the financial burden of a `房贷`, a key aspect of the "mortgage slave" (`房奴`) concept. * **Example 5:** * 如果没有父母帮忙付首付，我们根本买不起房，更别说**房贷**了。 * Pinyin: Rúguǒ méiyǒu fùmǔ bāngmáng fù shǒufù, wǒmen gēnběn mǎi bù qǐ fáng, gèng biéshuō **fángdài** le. * English: If our parents hadn't helped with the down payment, we wouldn't have been able to afford a house at all, let alone a **mortgage**. * Analysis: This highlights the cultural reality of family support in home-buying. `更别说 (gèng biéshuō)` means "let alone" or "not to mention." * **Example 6:** * 你的**房贷**是三十年的还是二十年的？ * Pinyin: Nǐ de **fángdài** shì sānshí nián de háishì èrshí nián de? * English: Is your **mortgage** for thirty years or twenty years? * Analysis: A common question about the loan term (`年限 niánxiàn`). * **Example 7:** * 提前还清**房贷**可以省下不少利息。 * Pinyin: Tíqián huánqīng **fángdài** kěyǐ shěngxià bùshǎo lìxī. * English: Paying off the **mortgage** early can save a lot of interest. * Analysis: `还清 (huánqīng)` means "to pay off completely." This expresses a common financial goal. * **Example 8:** * 我朋友是个典型的“房奴”，为了**房贷**，他几乎没有任何娱乐活动。 * Pinyin: Wǒ péngyǒu shì ge diǎnxíng de “fángnú”, wèile **fángdài**, tā jīhū méiyǒu rènhé yúlè huódòng. * English: My friend is a typical "mortgage slave"; because of his **mortgage**, he has almost no recreational activities. * Analysis: This shows the direct link between the financial term `房贷` and the cultural slang `房奴`. * **Example 9:** * 最近银行收紧了**房贷**政策，贷款越来越难了。 * Pinyin: Zuìjìn yínháng shōujǐn le **fángdài** zhèngcè, dàikuǎn yuèláiyuè nán le. * English: Recently, banks have tightened their **mortgage** policies, making it harder and harder to get a loan. * Analysis: This sentence uses `房贷` in a broader economic or policy context. `收紧 (shōujǐn)` means "to tighten." * **Example 10:** * 办**房贷**的手续很复杂，要跑好几趟银行。 * Pinyin: Bàn **fángdài** de shǒuxù hěn fùzá, yào pǎo hǎojǐ tàng yínháng. * English: The procedure for getting a **mortgage** is very complicated; you have to make several trips to the bank. * Analysis: `办 (bàn)` means to handle or to process. `跑银行 (pǎo yínháng)` literally means "to run to the bank," a colloquial way of saying you have to make trips there. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`房贷` (fángdài) vs. `房租` (fángzū):** This is a critical distinction. `房贷` is the mortgage payment you make to the bank to *own* your home. `房租 (fángzū)` or `租金 (zūjīn)` is the rent you pay to a landlord to *use* their property. Confusing these is a common beginner mistake. * **Incorrect:** 我每个月要付很高的**房贷**给房东。(Wǒ měi ge yuè yào fù hěn gāo de **fángdài** gěi fángdōng.) - I have to pay a high **mortgage** to the landlord every month. * **Correct:** 我每个月要付很高的**房租**给房东。(Wǒ měi ge yuè yào fù hěn gāo de **fángzū** gěi fángdōng.) - I have to pay high **rent** to the landlord every month. * **`房贷` (fángdài) vs. `贷款` (dàikuǎn):** `房贷` is specific, while `贷款` is general. `房贷` is a *type* of `贷款`. You can use `贷款` to refer to your mortgage, but `房贷` is more precise. Think of it like "poodle" vs. "dog." Every `房贷` is a `贷款`, but not every `贷款` is a `房贷`. * **Acceptable but less precise:** 我的车贷和**贷款**压力都很大。(Wǒ de chēdài hé **dàikuǎn** yālì dōu hěn dà.) - My car loan and **loan** pressure are both huge. * **More precise:** 我的车贷和**房贷**压力都很大。(Wǒ de chēdài hé **fángdài** yālì dōu hěn dà.) - My car loan and **mortgage** pressure are both huge. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[贷款]] (dàikuǎn) - Loan. The general term; `房贷` is a specific type of `贷款`. * [[买房]] (mǎifáng) - To buy a house. The action that necessitates getting a `房贷`. * [[首付]] (shǒufù) - Down payment. The initial lump-sum payment required before the `房贷` kicks in. * [[利率]] (lìlǜ) - Interest rate. The percentage charged on the `房贷`. * [[房奴]] (fángnú) - "Mortgage slave." A colloquial and culturally significant term for someone burdened by their `房贷`. * [[房地产]] (fángdìchǎn) - Real estate. The industry and market related to housing. * [[公积金]] (gōngjījīn) - Housing Provident Fund. A mandatory savings fund in China that employees and employers contribute to, which can be used for housing-related expenses, including `房贷` payments. * [[还款]] (huánkuǎn) - Repayment; to repay a loan. The action of paying back the `房贷`. * [[租房]] (zūfáng) - To rent a house. The primary alternative to buying a house. * [[业主]] (yèzhǔ) - Property owner; homeowner. What you become after you buy a house (and are paying off the `房贷`).