Everyday Objects in Chinese: Name Everything Around You (Kitchen, Bedroom, Office & Tech)

Look around you right now. Every single object in sight — your phone, your desk, the cup on your shelf — has a Chinese name. Learning everyday objects in Chinese is the single fastest way to build a vocabulary that actually works in real life, because you can practice it anywhere, any time, just by glancing around the room.

This guide covers things in Chinese organized by location — kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, office, and tech gadgets — with characters, pinyin, and the measure words that make your Mandarin sound natural. It also answers two of the most-searched beginner questions: how to say phone in Chinese, and how to refer to the Chinese language in Chinese itself.

How to Say "Language" in Chinese — And Chinese Language in Chinese

Before diving into objects, one meta-question comes up constantly: what is language in Chinese? And how do you say Chinese language in Chinese?

Chinese	Pinyin	English
语言	yǔyán	language (general)
汉语	Hànyǔ	Chinese language (ethnic/linguistic term)
普通话	Pǔtōnghuà	Mandarin Chinese (standard spoken Chinese)
中文	Zhōngwén	Chinese (written language or general term)
英语	Yīngyǔ	English language
母语	mǔyǔ	mother tongue / native language

So if someone asks what language you're learning, you can say: 我在学中文 (Wǒ zài xué Zhōngwén) — "I'm learning Chinese."

The difference between 汉语, 普通话, and 中文 trips up many beginners. In practice: 中文 is the most commonly used everyday term; 普通话 refers specifically to standard spoken Mandarin; 汉语 is more formal or academic. All three are correct answers to "what language do Chinese people speak?"

If you want a broader grounding in how Chinese relates to other regional varieties, our post on Chinese learning tips 2025 covers the linguistic landscape alongside practical study strategies.

Phone in Chinese — and Other Tech Essentials

Let's start with the object most people have in their hand right now. Phone in Chinese is one of the first tech words every learner picks up — and it's a great example of how Chinese compounds work.

手机 (shǒujī) literally means "hand machine." Once you know 手 (shǒu, hand) and 机 (jī, machine), the word makes complete sense — and you'll start spotting 机 in dozens of other tech words.

Tech Gadgets Vocabulary

Chinese	Pinyin	English	Measure Word
手机	shǒujī	mobile phone / cell phone	部 (bù)
电话	diànhuà	telephone / phone call	部 (bù)
电脑	diànnǎo	computer (literally "electric brain")	台 (tái)
笔记本电脑	bǐjìběn diànnǎo	laptop	台 (tái)
平板电脑	píngbǎn diànnǎo	tablet	台 (tái)
耳机	ěrjī	earphones / headphones	副 (fù)
充电器	chōngdiànqì	charger	个 (gè)
键盘	jiànpán	keyboard	个 (gè)
鼠标	shǔbiāo	mouse (computer)	个 (gè)
屏幕	píngmù	screen / display	个 (gè)
摄像头	shèxiàngtóu	webcam / camera	个 (gè)
路由器	lùyóuqì	router	个 (gè)

Example sentences:

• 我的手机没电了。(Wǒ de shǒujī méi diàn le.) — "My phone is dead / out of battery."
• 你能帮我找一下充电器吗？(Nǐ néng bāng wǒ zhǎo yīxià chōngdiànqì ma?) — "Can you help me find the charger?"
• 这台电脑很慢。(Zhè tái diànnǎo hěn màn.) — "This computer is very slow."

Kitchen Objects in Chinese (厨房, Chúfáng)

The kitchen — 厨房 (chúfáng) — is one of the richest rooms for everyday objects in Chinese. Many kitchen words appear early in HSK vocabulary lists because food and cooking are so central to Chinese culture.

Chinese	Pinyin	English	Measure Word
冰箱	bīngxiāng	refrigerator	台 (tái)
微波炉	wēibōlú	microwave	台 (tái)
锅	guō	pot / wok	口 (kǒu)
碗	wǎn	bowl	个 (gè)
盘子	pánzi	plate / dish	个 (gè)
杯子	bēizi	cup / glass	个 (gè)
筷子	kuàizi	chopsticks	双 (shuāng)
勺子	sháozi	spoon	把 (bǎ)
叉子	chāzi	fork	把 (bǎ)
刀	dāo	knife	把 (bǎ)
水壶	shuǐhú	kettle / water kettle	个 (gè)
砧板	zhēnbǎn	cutting board	块 (kuài)
抽油烟机	chōuyóuyānjī	range hood / extractor fan	台 (tái)
洗碗机	xǐwǎnjī	dishwasher	台 (tái)

Example sentences:

• 请把碗放进洗碗机里。(Qǐng bǎ wǎn fàng jìn xǐwǎnjī lǐ.) — "Please put the bowls in the dishwasher."
• 锅里的水烧开了。(Guō lǐ de shuǐ shāo kāi le.) — "The water in the pot has boiled."

Notice how 机 (jī, machine) appears again in 洗碗机 (dishwasher) and 抽油烟机 (range hood). Learning character components like this is one of the most powerful strategies for expanding vocabulary quickly — our guide on hello in Chinese also touches on how character patterns accelerate recognition from the very first words you learn.

Bathroom Objects in Chinese (浴室 / 卫生间, Yùshì / Wèishēngjiān)

The bathroom is called 浴室 (yùshì) for a bathroom with a tub, or 卫生间 (wèishēngjiān) — literally "hygiene room" — for a toilet/washroom in general. 卫生间 is the more common everyday term.

Chinese	Pinyin	English	Measure Word
马桶	mǎtǒng	toilet	个 (gè)
洗手盆	xǐshǒupén	washbasin / sink	个 (gè)
浴缸	yùgāng	bathtub	个 (gè)
淋浴	línyù	shower	个 (gè)
镜子	jìngzi	mirror	面 (miàn)
毛巾	máojīn	towel	条 (tiáo)
牙刷	yáshuā	toothbrush	把 (bǎ)
牙膏	yágāo	toothpaste	管 (guǎn)
香皂	xiāngzào	soap (bar)	块 (kuài)
洗发水	xǐfàshuǐ	shampoo	瓶 (píng)
吹风机	chuīfēngjī	hair dryer	个 (gè)
卫生纸	wèishēngzhǐ	toilet paper	卷 (juǎn)

Example sentences:

• 镜子在洗手盆上面。(Jìngzi zài xǐshǒupén shàngmiàn.) — "The mirror is above the sink."
• 我的牙刷在哪里？(Wǒ de yáshuā zài nǎlǐ?) — "Where is my toothbrush?"

Bedroom Objects in Chinese (卧室, Wòshì)

The bedroom — 卧室 (wòshì) — contains some of the most useful everyday vocabulary for beginners because these are words that come up in storytelling, describing your home, and daily routines.

Chinese	Pinyin	English	Measure Word
床	chuáng	bed	张 (zhāng)
枕头	zhěntou	pillow	个 (gè)
被子	bèizi	duvet / quilt	床 (chuáng)
床单	chuángdān	bed sheet	张 (zhāng)
衣柜	yīguì	wardrobe / closet	个 (gè)
书桌	shūzhuō	desk (study desk)	张 (zhāng)
椅子	yǐzi	chair	把 (bǎ)
台灯	táidēng	desk lamp / bedside lamp	盏 (zhǎn)
窗帘	chuānglián	curtains	条 (tiáo)
闹钟	nàozhōng	alarm clock	个 (gè)
书架	shūjià	bookshelf	个 (gè)

Example sentences:

• 我每天七点钟把闹钟定好。(Wǒ měitiān qī diǎnzhōng bǎ nàozhōng dìng hǎo.) — "I set the alarm for seven o'clock every day."
• 衣柜里有很多衣服。(Yīguì lǐ yǒu hěn duō yīfu.) — "There are a lot of clothes in the wardrobe."

For clothing vocabulary that goes with your wardrobe, check out our complete guide to clothes in Chinese — it covers every garment category from tops and bottoms to traditional Chinese dress.

Office Objects in Chinese (办公室, Bàngōngshì)

Office vocabulary — 办公室 (bàngōngshì) — overlaps with school vocabulary (学校用品, xuéxiào yòngpǐn) and covers the tools of work and study that come up constantly in professional and academic Chinese.

Chinese	Pinyin	English	Measure Word
办公桌	bàngōngzhuō	office desk	张 (zhāng)
文件	wénjiàn	document / file	份 (fèn)
文件夹	wénjiànjiā	folder	个 (gè)
打印机	dǎyìnjī	printer	台 (tái)
复印机	fùyìnjī	photocopier	台 (tái)
笔	bǐ	pen / pencil (general)	支 (zhī)
圆珠笔	yuánzhūbǐ	ballpoint pen	支 (zhī)
铅笔	qiānbǐ	pencil	支 (zhī)
橡皮	xiàngpí	eraser	块 (kuài)
订书机	dìngshūjī	stapler	个 (gè)
剪刀	jiǎndāo	scissors	把 (bǎ)
胶带	jiāodài	tape / adhesive tape	卷 (juǎn)
便利贴	biànlìtiē	sticky note / Post-it	张 (zhāng)
白板	báibǎn	whiteboard	块 (kuài)

Example sentences:

• 打印机没墨了。(Dǎyìnjī méi mò le.) — "The printer is out of ink."
• 我需要一支笔。(Wǒ xūyào yī zhī bǐ.) — "I need a pen."
• 把文件放在我桌子上。(Bǎ wénjiàn fàng zài wǒ zhuōzi shàng.) — "Put the document on my desk."

Chinese Vocabulary for Beginners: How Measure Words Work

One pattern you'll have noticed throughout this guide is the measure word column. Chinese vocabulary for beginners always includes measure words because they're mandatory in Mandarin — you can't just say "one chair," you have to say "one [把] chair" (一把椅子).

Here's a quick reference for the measure words that appear most often with everyday objects:

Measure Word	Pinyin	Used For
个 (gè)	gè	general objects (default when unsure)
台 (tái)	tái	machines, appliances, equipment
张 (zhāng)	zhāng	flat things: tables, sheets, paper, beds
把 (bǎ)	bǎ	handled objects: chairs, knives, umbrellas
条 (tiáo)	tiáo	long flexible things: towels, curtains
块 (kuài)	kuài	chunk-shaped things: soap, eraser, board
支 (zhī)	zhī	slender stick-like things: pens, candles
副 (fù)	fù	paired or set items: glasses, earphones
双 (shuāng)	shuāng	pairs: chopsticks, shoes, socks

The good news: using 个 as a default is widely understood even when technically incorrect. But getting the right measure word right is what takes you from "textbook Chinese" to natural Mandarin.

How to Practice "Things in Chinese" Every Day

The most effective way to learn things in Chinese is not memorizing long vocabulary lists — it's connecting words to objects you already encounter. Here are three strategies that work:

1. Label your environment. Stick Post-its (便利贴, biànlìtiē — how convenient that you just learned that word) with Chinese characters on the objects around your home. Every time you look at your 冰箱 or reach for your 充电器, you see the character.

2. Type, don't just read. Research on motor memory shows that typing vocabulary through pinyin input creates a stronger recall pathway than reading alone. When you type 手机, your fingers learn the sequence s-h-o-u-j-i at the same time your eyes see the characters — dual encoding that makes the word stick.

3. Learn in clusters, not random lists. This guide is organized by room precisely because vocabulary clusters reinforce each other. If you know 洗手盆 (sink) and 镜子 (mirror), you can guess the context of an unfamiliar word like 毛巾 (towel) when you see it in a bathroom conversation.

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References

• HSK Vocabulary List — Hanban Official
• MDBG Chinese-English Dictionary
• Mandarin Chinese Vocabulary — ThoughtCo
• Common Objects in Chinese — YellowBridge Dictionary

Want to keep building your Chinese vocabulary? Explore our full course library and start typing — and speaking — with confidence today.