正房

zhèngfáng

noun #58,240

Meanings

1 main building (of a traditional courtyard house)
2 principal room
3 (historical) first / legal wife

Characters

main, principal, upright

Examples

四合院坐北朝南，正房在北边。

Sìhéyuàn zuò běicháo nán, zhèngfáng zài běibiān.

A siheyuan faces south; the main building is on the north side.

在旧时代，妻子分正房和偏房。

Zài jiùshí dài, qīzi fēn zhèngfáng hé piān fáng.

In the old era wives were distinguished as principal and concubine.

Tips

culture

In a 四合院, the 正房 is the north-facing main building occupied by the head of the family; 厢房 (east and west wings) are for children and junior relatives. The second meaning — 正房 as legal wife (opposed to 偏房, concubine) — comes from the architectural metaphor of rank by room.

Stroke Order

正 zhèng

房 fáng