Chinese word

百货

Pronunciation

Pinyinbǎi huò

Meaning

  • noundepartment store

Example

我们今天去百货买礼物吧。wǒ men jīn tiān qù bǎi huò mǎi lǐ wù ba

Let's go to the department store today to buy gifts.

Illustration for 百货 (department store)

More examples

这家百货连锁在全国都有分店。zhè jiā bǎi huò lián suǒ zài quán guó dū yǒu fēn diàn

This department store chain has branches across the country.

Core concept

One shopping destination where clothing, household items, cosmetics, and other categories share a connected retail space.

Common phrases

  • 百货连锁bǎi huò lián suǒ

    department store chain

  • 百货专柜bǎi huò zhuān guì

    department store brand counter

Similar words

商场shāng chǎng: A shopping district or building where many specialty shops are gathered together.
购物中心gòu wù zhōng xīn: A large indoor center that houses shops, restaurants, cinemas, and other services.
超市chāo shì: A self-service shop that sells large amounts of daily food and household supplies.

Definition in Chinese

指销售多种类别商品的综合性商店，通常按楼层或专区陈列服饰、家居、化妆品等，即百货店。zhǐ xiāo shòu duō zhǒng lèi bié shāng pǐn de zōng hé xìng shāng diàn tōng cháng àn lóu céng huò zhuān qū chén liè fú shì jiā jū huà zhuāng pǐn děng jí bǎi huò diàn

Word origin

百 (bǎi, "hundred") and 货 (huò, "goods") combine in 百货 (bǎihuò, "many kinds of goods") to name a business built around variety.

Usage tips

  • In everyday plans, this noun can be the destination after "go to", while the gift, clothes, or other purchase is named separately; this keeps the shopping place distinct from the item being bought.

Other meanings

  • general merchandise storenoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 百货连锁bǎi huò lián suǒdepartment store chainnoun
  • 百货专柜bǎi huò zhuān guìdepartment store brand counternoun

Word lists with this word