verb HSK 4
to move house · to relocate · to change residence
Meaning
搬家 literally means 'to move home' and refers to the act of relocating one's residence from one place to another. It encompasses the entire process of packing belongings, transporting them, and settling into a new living space.
Usage
This is the standard term for moving residence in Mandarin. It's used in both formal and informal contexts. Native speakers commonly use 搬家 when discussing plans to move, asking about someone's relocation, or talking about the moving process. It can also be used as a noun to refer to the act of moving itself.
Examples
- 01我下个月要搬家到上海。.I'm moving to Shanghai next month.
- 02他们刚搬家，房子里还很乱。, .They just moved, so the house is still very messy.
Characters
Measure words
- 次搬了三次家
Common collocations
- 搬家公司moving company
- 准备搬家to prepare to move
- 搬家的时候when moving
- 刚搬家just moved
Origin
The compound combines 搬 (to move/transport) with 家 (home), creating a transparent meaning of 'moving one's home.' The character 搬 originally depicted hands carrying something heavy.