About
The character "住" is structurally composed of the person radical 亻 combined with the component 主, which functions phonetically but also semantically implies mastery or host, together conveying the idea of a person exerting control over a space. Its earliest recorded meanings centered on the act of stopping or halting, referring to a pause in movement or action. Over time, this sense of cessation gradually extended into the concept of settling in a place, evolving to specifically denote dwelling or residing, thereby shifting from a temporary interruption to a more sustained state of occupation. The inherent notion of 主 as master within the character reinforced this connection to establishing a household or becoming an inhabitant. In contemporary language, "住" primarily signifies living or inhabiting, though its original connotation of stopping remains evident in some classical derivatives and compound formations.
Example Sentences Hide
我住在北京。
你住在哪里？
请记住这个地址。
他抓住了机会。
她住在一楼。
我们住在一起很久了。
你必须忍住疼痛。
如果住得不舒服，可以换房间。