回家
回return家home=go home
家
家 (jiā) Chinese Character: home; family
Picture one family living together under the roof 宀.
Practice 家 in the interactive lessonChinese character story: A Household Under One Roof
家 (jiā) is one of the most useful beginner characters because it connects a place with the people who belong there. It can mean “home,” as in 回家, “go home,” or “family,” as in 我家, “my family.” The old roof-and-animal explanation describes an ancient household, not a rule for homes today. Focus on the roof 宀 at the top and remember that everything below it belongs inside one home.
🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes
Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.
家里
家home里inside or at=at home; in the home
Chinese character origin and etymology
Traditional analysis connects 家 with a roof or dwelling above a pig. Domestic animals were part of ancient households, so the combined form became associated with a home and the family living there.
The roof component 宀 sits above 豕, an old character associated with a pig. 家 contains 宀 and 豕. These parts act like clues: a component may suggest a meaning category, a pronunciation, or simply preserve part of the character's historical structure.
Chinese character stroke order and structure
家 is written with 10 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.
- 宀 — roof — places the idea inside a home or building
- 豕 — pig — an animal associated with an ancient household
Common usage and sentence patterns
The examples below show 家 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.
我们回家吧。
Let’s go home.
我家有四个人。
There are four people in my family.
她在家学习。
She studies at home.
How do you write “home” in Chinese?
The Chinese character for “home” is 家 (jiā), written with 10 strokes and pronounced with the first tone. Say 我的家 (wǒ de jiā) for “my home,” 回家 (huí jiā) for “go home,” and 家人 (jiārén) for “family members.”
家 focuses on home, family, or household. 房子 (fángzi) refers more specifically to the physical house or building. This difference makes 家 more natural when talking about belonging and family life. Continue with the Chinese family characters guide.
Learning tips for 家
Learn the reading as one unit: jiā, with the first tone: high and level. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “home; family,” and write the 10 strokes from memory.
Because 家 contains reusable components, identify those clues before memorizing the whole shape. Compare it with 人 (rén, person); 父 (fù, father); 母 (mǔ, mother). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.
Quick review checklist
- Can you recognize 家 without pinyin?
- Can you say jiā with the correct tone and explain “home; family”?
- Can you write all 10 strokes in order?
- Can you use 家 in one short sentence?
Related characters
Learn 家 in a themed collection
Compare this character with related beginner words. A themed path helps you notice useful pairs, word-building patterns, and everyday contexts.
Continue learning Chinese characters
Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.
Sources and editorial note
HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.
Last updated: August 16, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.