Chinese word

翻新

Pronunciation

Pinyinfān xīn

Meaning

  • verbrenovate

Example

我们打算把客厅翻新一下。wǒ men dǎ suàn bǎ kè tīng fān xīn yí xià

We plan to renovate the living room.

Illustration for 翻新 (renovate)

More examples

他想把旧沙发翻新再用。tā xiǎng bǎ jiù shā fā fān xīn zài yòng

He wants to refurbish the old sofa and use it again.

Core concept

Worn parts of an existing place are renewed so the whole space works better and looks fresh.

Common phrases

  • 翻新房子fān xīn fáng zi

    renovate a house

  • 翻新家具fān xīn jiā jù

    refurbish furniture

  • 翻新客厅fān xīn kè tīng

    renovate a living room

Similar words

装修zhuāng xiū: Improving an interior with new finishes, fittings, or equipment for a better look and easier use.
修理xiū lǐ: Repairing damage or a fault to restore something's original condition or function.
改造gǎi zào: Reshaping a structure or arrangement to change its use or basic function.

Definition in Chinese

对旧有建筑或室内的结构、设施或表面进行整修、更新或改良，以改善使用功能或外观的动作或过程。duì jiù yǒu jiàn zhù huò shì nèi de jié gòu shè shī huò biǎo miàn jìn xíng zhěng xiū gēng xīn huò gǎi liáng yǐ gǎi shàn shǐ yòng gōng néng huò wài guān de dòng zuò huò guò chéng

Word origin

翻 (fān, "turn over") + 新 (xīn, "new") gives the compact picture of turning an old condition toward newness, which explains the word's use for updating a building or interior.

Usage tips

  • The object need not be an entire building: a room, floor, wall, or set of fixtures can each be the focus, making the verb useful in ordinary home-repair talk.

Opposites

Related words

  • 翻新机fān xīn jīrefurbished devicenoun
  • 翻新工程fān xīn gōng chéngrenovation projectnoun
  • 翻新费fān xīn fèirenovation costnoun

Word lists with this word