====== chájī: 茶几 - Coffee Table, Tea Table ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** chaji, chaji meaning, 茶几, Chinese for coffee table, tea table in Chinese, Chinese furniture, what is a chaji, gongfu cha table, Chinese living room.
  * **Summary:** 茶几 (chájī) is the Chinese word for a coffee table or tea table. It's a central piece of furniture in any Chinese living room (客厅), serving as a focal point for family gatherings and hosting guests. While its function is identical to a Western coffee table, its name, literally "tea table," reflects the deep-rooted significance of tea culture in China. This entry explores the meaning, cultural context, and practical use of the essential household item, 茶几.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** chájī
  * **Part of Speech:** Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 3
  * **Concise Definition:** A low table, typically placed in front of a sofa, used for serving drinks and snacks or for placing items like remote controls and magazines.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Think of a "coffee table," but with a name that points directly to China's historic love for tea. A 茶几 is the functional and social center of a living room. It's where you place teacups for guests, a plate of fruit for your family, or just your phone while you relax on the sofa. It's a simple, everyday word for a piece of furniture that facilitates hospitality and togetherness.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **茶 (chá):** This character means "tea." It's composed of the grass radical (艹) on top, suggesting a plant, over a character that depicts a person (人) under a tree or plant (木). This paints a vivid picture of harvesting tea leaves.
  * **几 (jī):** This is a simple pictograph of a small, low table or stool. It's one of the simplest characters representing a piece of furniture.
  * When combined, **茶几 (chájī)** literally means "tea table." This name directly reflects the object's primary traditional purpose: serving tea to family and guests.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
  * In Chinese culture, the living room (客厅, kètīng) is a semi-public space for receiving guests and demonstrating hospitality. The 茶几 stands at the heart of this space, acting as a stage for social interaction. Placing snacks, fruits, and most importantly, a pot of hot tea on the 茶几 for visitors is a fundamental gesture of welcome and respect.
  * **Comparison to Western "Coffee Table":** The function of a 茶几 is identical to a Western "coffee table." The key difference is cultural-linguistic. The Western name points to a culture where coffee became the dominant social beverage. The Chinese name, 茶几, points to a civilization where tea has been the cornerstone of hospitality and social ritual for thousands of years. Even in modern homes where coffee is also consumed, the traditional name persists, acting as a small but constant reminder of China's rich tea heritage (茶文化, chá wénhuà). While some modern tea ceremonies (功夫茶, gōngfu chá) use specialized tables with drainage (茶盘, chápán), the everyday 茶几 is the modern descendant of the humble table that has always facilitated this social bonding over tea.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
  * In a contemporary Chinese home, the 茶几 is a multi-purpose workhorse. While still used for serving tea, its role has expanded. It's common to see it holding:
    * Remote controls (遥控器, yáokòngqì)
    * Tissue boxes (纸巾盒, zhǐjīnhé)
    * Fruit platters (水果盘, shuǐguǒpán)
    * Magazines and books
    * Laptops for casual work or browsing
  * In business or formal reception areas, a 茶几 is essential. When a client or guest arrives, they are typically seated on a sofa and immediately offered a cup of tea, which is placed on the 茶几 in front of them. This act establishes a polite and welcoming atmosphere before business discussions begin. The term is neutral in connotation and is used in all registers, from casual conversation to furniture store catalogs.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 我把遥控器放在**茶几**上了。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ yáokòngqì fàng zài **chájī** shàng le.
    * English: I put the remote control on the coffee table.
    * Analysis: This sentence uses the common 把 (bǎ) structure to show the disposal of an object. The location word 上 (shàng) specifies the surface of the coffee table.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 我们需要买一个新的**茶几**来搭配沙发。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào mǎi yī ge xīn de **chájī** lái dāpèi shāfā.
    * English: We need to buy a new coffee table to match the sofa.
    * Analysis: Here, 个 (ge) is used as the measure word for 茶几. The verb 搭配 (dāpèi) means "to match" or "to go with," a common term in design and fashion.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 客人来了，快把水果放在**茶几**上。
    * Pinyin: Kèrén lái le, kuài bǎ shuǐguǒ fàng zài **chájī** shàng.
    * English: The guests are here, quickly put the fruit on the coffee table.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates the 茶几's central role in hospitality. It's the first place you put things to serve guests.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 这张**茶几**是实木的，质量很好。
    * Pinyin: Zhè zhāng **chájī** shì shímù de, zhìliàng hěn hǎo.
    * English: This coffee table is made of solid wood, the quality is very good.
    * Analysis: 张 (zhāng) is another common measure word for flat objects like tables. 实木 (shímù) means "solid wood."
  * **Example 5:**
    * 小心！别把水洒在**茶几**上。
    * Pinyin: Xiǎoxīn! Bié bǎ shuǐ sǎ zài **chájī** shàng.
    * English: Be careful! Don't spill water on the coffee table.
    * Analysis: 别 (bié) is used to give a negative command, "don't...". This is a very common, practical sentence.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 我的猫喜欢躲在**茶几**下面睡觉。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ de māo xǐhuān duǒ zài **chájī** xiàmiàn shuìjiào.
    * English: My cat likes to hide and sleep under the coffee table.
    * Analysis: This shows the use of the location word 下面 (xiàmiàn), meaning "under" or "below."
  * **Example 7:**
    * 他把腿翘在**茶几**上，非常不礼貌。
    * Pinyin: Tā bǎ tuǐ qiào zài **chájī** shàng, fēicháng bù lǐmào.
    * English: He propped his legs up on the coffee table, which is very impolite.
    * Analysis: This provides a cultural note. Putting your feet on the 茶几 is generally considered rude (不礼貌, bù lǐmào), especially with others present.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 这款**茶几**的设计很现代。
    * Pinyin: Zhè kuǎn **chájī** de shèjì hěn xiàndài.
    * English: The design of this model of coffee table is very modern.
    * Analysis: 款 (kuǎn) is a measure word for "model" or "style" of a product. 设计 (shèjì) means "design."
  * **Example 9:**
    * **茶几**上摆着一套漂亮的茶具。
    * Pinyin: **Chájī** shàng bǎi zhe yī tào piàoliang de chájù.
    * English: A beautiful tea set is placed on the coffee table.
    * Analysis: 摆着 (bǎi zhe) indicates the continuous state of being placed or arranged. 一套 (yī tào) is the measure word for a "set" of things, like a tea set (茶具, chájù).
  * **Example 10:**
    * 请帮我把这杯咖啡拿到**茶几**那边去。
    * Pinyin: Qǐng bāng wǒ bǎ zhè bēi kāfēi ná dào **chájī** nàbiān qù.
    * English: Please help me take this cup of coffee over to the coffee table.
    * Analysis: This sentence ironically shows the modern use of a "tea table" for coffee, highlighting its versatile function.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **茶几 vs. 桌子 (zhuōzi):** A common mistake for beginners is to use a specific word for a general category. 茶几 is specifically a low "coffee/tea table." The general word for any table is [[桌子]] (zhuōzi). A 桌子 is taller, and you sit at it on a [[椅子]] (yǐzi) (chair). You sit around a 茶几 on a [[沙发]] (shāfā) (sofa).
    * **Incorrect:** 我们在茶几吃晚饭。(Wǒmen zài chájī chī wǎnfàn.) - "We eat dinner at the coffee table." (While some might do this informally, the proper place is the dining table, 餐桌).
    * **Correct:** 我们在餐桌吃晚饭。(Wǒmen zài cānzhuō chī wǎnfàn.) - "We eat dinner at the dining table."
  * **Not Just for Tea:** Despite its name, do not assume a 茶几 is used exclusively for tea. It is the perfect translation for "coffee table" in every functional sense. It's used for coffee, snacks, magazines, and everything else a coffee table is used for in the West. The nuance is in the cultural origin of the name, not in its modern-day limitation.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[客厅]] (kètīng) - The living room; the room where a 茶几 is almost always located.
  * [[沙发]] (shāfā) - Sofa; the piece of furniture that a 茶几 is paired with.
  * [[桌子]] (zhuōzi) - The general term for "table" or "desk." 茶几 is a type of 桌子.
  * [[餐桌]] (cānzhuō) - Dining table; a table specifically for meals, which is distinct from a 茶几.
  * [[家具]] (jiājù) - Furniture; the overarching category that 茶几 belongs to.
  * [[茶杯]] (chábēi) - Teacup; an object commonly found on a 茶几.
  * [[茶壶]] (cháhú) - Teapot; often used with teacups on a 茶几.
  * [[功夫茶]] (gōngfu chá) - The traditional Chinese tea ceremony, the cultural practice that gives the 茶几 its name and spirit.
  * [[茶盘]] (chápán) - A "tea tray," often with a water reservoir, used specifically for 功夫茶. It can be placed on a 茶几 or be part of a larger, dedicated tea station.
  * [[遥控器]] (yáokòngqì) - Remote control; arguably the most common item found on a modern 茶几.