Housing, Cleaning and Household Items

Cleaning and tidying the home

This group includes verbs and adjectives used when talking about cleaning, wiping and throwing things away. The three verbs that are most easily confused are 整理, 收拾 and 打扫, so you need to grasp the scope of meaning of each word.

• 打扫 (dǎsǎo: to sweep and clean) — a verb for cleaning a house, usually taking a place as its object, such as 打扫房间 (clean the room). The pattern 把 + object + 打扫 + 了 + 一遍/一下 is used to say that an action is done once. Example: 我每个星期都会打扫一次浴室。
• 整理 (zhěnglǐ: to arrange, to tidy up) — emphasizes arranging belongings neatly, often seen as 整理好 (tidied up, finished), where 好 is a result complement. The pattern 一起……一下 (together ... a little) is used to invite someone to do something together. Example: 你先整理好书桌，再去吃饭。
• 收拾 (shōushi: to clean up, to put in order) — can be used both for cleaning and for rearranging things, and often appears with 得很 plus a resultative adjective: 收拾得很干净. When asked to clean up, people often reply 好啊 (hǎo a: all right) and then state a condition with the pattern 等……就…… (wait until ... then ...). Example: 等我吃完饭，就去帮你收拾。
• 擦 (cā: to wipe) — 擦桌子 (wipe the table). The pattern verb + 得 + 不够 + 干净 means wiped but not clean enough. Example: 地板擦得不够干净。
• 扔 (rēng: to throw away), 扔掉 (rēngdiào: to throw away), 扔进……里 (rēngjìn ... lǐ: to throw into ...) — 掉 is a result complement indicating that the item is discarded, and 进 is a directional complement indicating movement inward. The pattern 把……扔掉 means to throw ... away. Example: 把这双旧鞋子扔掉吧。
• 倒掉 (dàodiào: to pour out and get rid of), 倒垃圾 (dào lājī: to take out the rubbish) — 倒 means to pour out, and it is usually used for rubbish and liquids. Example: 这盆水已经倒掉了。
• 垃圾 (lājī: rubbish), 垃圾桶 (lājītǒng: rubbish bin) — nouns for discarded items, which can be the object of 拿, 倒 or 扔. Example: 垃圾桶满了，该去倒了。
• 干净 (gānjìng: clean) — an adjective that is the opposite of 脏 (zāng: dirty). 干净 can also serve as a result complement: 洗干净 (wash clean), 擦干净 (wipe clean), 打扫干净 (sweep and clean thoroughly). Dirty places can also be described with 灰尘 (huīchén: dust). To describe degree, use 很 or 非常 before the adjective, or use the pattern verb + 得 + 很/非常 + 干净. Example: 他的手很脏，快去洗干净。
• 先……再…… (xiān ... zài ...: first ... then ...) — used to say that one action must be done before another, for example 先洗干净再穿. Example: 你先把桌子擦干净，再摆碗筷吧。
• 件 (jiàn) — a measure word for clothes and jackets. After 这件 or 一件, there must be a noun for clothing, for example 这件衣服. Example: 那件外套还很新。

Household Appliances and Repairs

This section covers common household appliances and how to talk about them when they break down or need repair.

• 厨房 (chúfáng: kitchen) — the room in a home where meals are cooked. It often goes with the phrase 在厨房做饭 (cook in the kitchen). 例: 厨房的灯还亮着。
• 冰箱 (bīngxiāng: refrigerator) — an appliance used to keep food and drinks cold. The phrases 放进冰箱里 (put into the refrigerator) and 冰一冰 (chill for a little while) are common ways to say this. 例: 西瓜放进冰箱里冰一下再吃。
• 洗衣机 (xǐyījī: washing machine) — common fault conditions include 坏了 (broken), 又坏了 (broken again, where 又 indicates repetition), 不转了 (no longer turning), 漏水 (lòushuǐ: leaking water) and 没甩干 (méi shuǎigān: not spun dry). 甩干 (shuǎigān) means to spin dry. 例: 这台洗衣机又漏水了。
• 电脑 (diànnǎo: computer), 打不开 (dǎ bu kāi: cannot be opened) — the potential complement takes the form 动词 + 不 + 补语 and expresses that something cannot be done. When a device does not work, you can check the 电源线 (diànyuánxiàn: power cord) and plug it back in with 接上 (jiēshàng: connect, plug in). 例: 手机充不进电，可能是插头松了。
• 灯 (dēng: light), 灯泡 (dēngpào: light bulb) — when a light does not come on, people often say 我看看 (let me take a look), give the cause with 可能是……(it may be ...) and the solution with 换 (huàn: replace). 例: 客厅的灯不亮了，我去买个新的换上。
• 修 (xiū: to repair), 修理店 (xiūlǐdiàn: repair shop), 师傅 (shīfu: repairman, skilled worker) — 叫师傅来看看 (call a repairman to come and take a look). 不太会 + verb means not being very good at doing something. 要不 (yàobù: or else, how about) is used to suggest another option. 带 (dài: to take along, to lead) is used when taking someone to a place. 例: 这个锁坏了，要不找师傅看看。
• 应该是 (yīnggāi shì: should be, most likely) and 可能是 (kěnéng shì: might be, could be) — used to state the cause when guessing about a fault. 应该 carries a stronger sense of certainty than 可能. 例: 应该是电池没电了。
• 才 (cái: only, not until) — used with a time expression to show that something happens later than expected, in contrast to 就 (jiù: already, as early as). 只好 (zhǐhǎo: have no choice but to) expresses that no other option remains, and 请假 (qǐngjià: to ask for leave) is a common accompanying phrase. The structure 会 + verb is used to predict what will happen. 例: 快递今天晚上才能到，我只好在家等。

Rent and living expenses

This section covers vocabulary and question-and-answer patterns about rent, electricity and water bills, and payment deadlines.