chuānghu: 窗户 - Window

• Keywords: chuanghu, 窗户, Chinese for window, learn Chinese window, window in Chinese, open the window Chinese, close the window Chinese, chuānghù, 窗子, 户, HSK 2 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word for “window,” 窗户 (chuānghu). This guide breaks down the characters 窗 and 户, explores the deep cultural significance of windows in Chinese art and architecture, and provides 10 practical example sentences. Discover how to use 窗户 (chuānghu) correctly in everyday conversation and avoid common mistakes, like confusing it with the word for a computer window.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): chuānghu
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: An opening in the wall of a building or vehicle, fitted with glass or other transparent material, to admit light and air.
• In a Nutshell: 窗户 (chuānghu) is the most common and standard word for “window” in Mandarin Chinese. It's a fundamental, everyday noun you'll use constantly to talk about your home, your car, or any building. Think of it as the direct, neutral equivalent of the English word “window.”

• 窗 (chuāng): This character is a pictophonetic compound. The top part, 穴 (xuè), means “cave” or “hole,” representing an opening. The component below, 囱 (cōng), was an early character for a chimney or air vent. Together, they form the image of an opening in a dwelling for light and air.
• 户 (hù): This is a pictograph of a single-panel door. By itself, it can mean “door” or, more commonly, “household” (as in, the people living behind the door).

When combined, 窗 (chuāng), the specific character for window, is paired with 户 (hù), which broadly relates to openings and dwellings. This creates the complete, two-syllable word 窗户 (chuānghu), solidifying its meaning as the “window of a household.”

In Chinese culture, a 窗户 (chuānghu) is far more than a simple architectural feature; it is a powerful artistic and philosophical device.

• Framing Nature: In traditional Chinese gardens and architecture, windows are meticulously placed to “borrow scenery” (借景, jièjǐng). The window frame acts like a picture frame, turning the natural landscape outside into a living, dynamic painting for those inside. This reflects a deep Taoist value of harmony between humanity and nature. Circular “moon windows” and other artistic shapes are common for this purpose.
• Connection and Separation: A 窗户 simultaneously connects the inner, private world of the home with the outer, public world. It is a symbol of longing, observation, and the boundary between inside and out. This theme is prevalent in classical Chinese poetry and painting, where a figure looking out a window often conveys a sense of melancholy, contemplation, or waiting.
• Comparison to the West: While Western culture has phrases like “a window of opportunity” or “the eyes are the windows to the soul,” the concept of a physical window as an intentional artistic frame for nature is much less pronounced. In the West, a window's primary function is utilitarian (light and air), whereas in traditional Chinese thought, its aesthetic and philosophical functions are equally, if not more, important.

In modern daily life, 窗户 (chuānghu) is a very practical and frequently used word.

• Everyday Actions: You'll use it for basic commands and descriptions.
  • 开窗户 (kāi chuānghu) - to open the window
  • 关窗户 (guān chuānghu) - to close the window
  • 擦窗户 (cā chuānghu) - to wipe/clean the window
• Location and Position: It's used to describe where things are.
  • 坐在窗户旁边 (zuò zài chuānghu pángbiān) - to sit next to the window
  • 窗户外面 (chuānghu wàimiàn) - outside the window
• Formality: The term is neutral and appropriate for any situation, formal or informal. A common, slightly more colloquial alternative is 窗子 (chuāngzi), which is especially prevalent in Northern China. For a learner, 窗户 (chuānghu) is always a safe and correct choice.

• Example 1:
  • 天气这么好，请把窗户打开吧。
  • Pinyin: Tiānqì zhème hǎo, qǐng bǎ chuānghu dǎkāi ba.
  • English: The weather is so nice, please open the window.
  • Analysis: A simple, polite request using the 把 (bǎ) structure to direct an action onto the object (the window).
• Example 2:
  • 外面太冷了，我得把窗户关上。
  • Pinyin: Wàimiàn tài lěng le, wǒ děi bǎ chuānghu guānshàng.
  • English: It's too cold outside, I have to close the window.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the opposite action, “to close” (关上, guānshàng), again using the common 把 (bǎ) structure.
• Example 3:
  • 我喜欢坐在窗户旁边看书。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xǐhuān zuò zài chuānghu pángbiān kànshū.
  • English: I like to sit by the window and read.
  • Analysis: Shows how to use 窗户 to describe a location, “next to the window” (窗户旁边).
• Example 4:
  • 这间房子的窗户很大，所以很亮。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiān fángzi de chuānghu hěn dà, suǒyǐ hěn liàng.
  • English: This room's windows are very big, so it's very bright.
  • Analysis: A descriptive sentence connecting the size of the window to the brightness of the room.
• Example 5:
  • 别忘了锁好门和窗户再出门。
  • Pinyin: Bié wàngle suǒ hǎo mén hé chuānghu zài chūmén.
  • English: Don't forget to lock the doors and windows before you go out.
  • Analysis: Pairs 窗户 with its architectural counterpart, 门 (mén - door), in a common safety reminder.
• Example 6:
  • 一只小鸟撞到了窗户的玻璃上。
  • Pinyin: Yī zhī xiǎo niǎo zhuàng dào le chuānghu de bōli shàng.
  • English: A little bird crashed into the window's glass.
  • Analysis: This sentence clarifies the relationship between 窗户 (the whole structure) and 玻璃 (bōli - glass).
• Example 7:
  • 你能帮我擦一下车窗户吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ cā yīxià chē chuānghu ma?
  • English: Can you help me wipe the car windows?
  • Analysis: Shows that 窗户 isn't just for buildings; it also applies to vehicles (车窗户).
• Example 8:
  • 从我的窗户能看到漂亮的山景。
  • Pinyin: Cóng wǒ de chuānghu néng kàn dào piàoliang de shānjǐng.
  • English: From my window, I can see a beautiful mountain view.
  • Analysis: Highlights the function of a window for providing a view (风景, fēngjǐng).
• Example 9:
  • 眼睛是心灵的窗户。
  • Pinyin: Yǎnjīng shì xīnlíng de chuānghu.
  • English: The eyes are the windows to the soul.
  • Analysis: A famous metaphor that exists in both English and Chinese, showing a more abstract use of the word.
• Example 10:
  • 昨天的风太大了，把邻居家的窗户吹破了。
  • Pinyin: Zuótiān de fēng tài dà le, bǎ línjū jiā de chuānghu chuī pò le.
  • English: The wind yesterday was too strong; it blew out the neighbor's window.
  • Analysis: A narrative sentence describing an event that happened to a window.

• Physical Window vs. Computer Window: This is the most common mistake for learners. A physical window in a building or car is 窗户 (chuānghu). A window on a computer screen is a 窗口 (chuāngkǒu).
  • Correct: 请打开电脑上的那个窗口。 (Qǐng dǎkāi diànnǎo shàng de nàge chuāngkǒu.) - Please open that window on the computer.
  • Incorrect: 请打开电脑上的那个窗户。 (This would sound like you're asking to open a physical window embedded in the computer.)
• 窗户 (chuānghu) vs. 窗子 (chuāngzi): These are largely interchangeable, but 窗户 (chuānghu) is the more standard, universal term found in textbooks and formal writing. 窗子 (chuāngzi) is more colloquial and may sound more natural in casual, northern-accented speech. As a beginner, sticking with 窗户 is your safest bet.
• Don't use 户 alone: While 户 (hù) is part of the word, it means “household” or “door” on its own. You cannot use 户 by itself to mean “window.”

• 窗子 (chuāngzi) - A common, slightly more colloquial synonym for 窗户, especially in northern China.
• 窗口 (chuāngkǒu) - A service window (at a bank, ticket counter) OR a window on a computer screen. Critically different from 窗户.
• 门 (mén) - Door. The logical counterpart to a window in a building's structure.
• 玻璃 (bōli) - Glass. The material that a modern 窗户 is made of.
• 窗帘 (chuānglián) - Curtain. The covering for a 窗户.
• 开 (kāi) - To open. The verb most commonly used with 窗户.
• 关 (guān) - To close/shut. The other key verb used with 窗户.
• 阳台 (yángtái) - Balcony. An outdoor space often connected to a room via a glass door or large window.
• 风景 (fēngjǐng) - Scenery, landscape. What you see when you look out the 窗户.
• 户口 (hùkǒu) - Household registration system. A key term showing the primary meaning of 户 (hù) as “household.”