dìzhǐ: 地址 - Address, Location

• Keywords: 地址, dizhi, Chinese for address, how to say address in Chinese, mailing address in China, location in Chinese, IP address in Chinese, email address in Chinese, writing a Chinese address, Taobao address.
• Summary: Learn how to say and use 地址 (dìzhǐ), the essential Chinese word for “address.” This comprehensive guide covers everything a beginner needs: from how to write a mailing address for shipping in China to asking for someone's location, and even understanding digital addresses like email and IP addresses. Master this crucial HSK 2 vocabulary for daily life, travel, and online communication in Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dìzhǐ
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: A specific physical or digital location, such as a mailing address, email address, or IP address.
• In a Nutshell: 地址 (dìzhǐ) is the direct equivalent of the English word “address.” It's a fundamental noun you'll use constantly for mailing packages, getting directions, online shopping, and exchanging contact information. While its primary meaning is a physical street address, its meaning has expanded in the digital age to include website, email, and IP addresses.

• 地 (dì): This character means “earth,” “ground,” or “place.” Think of a map of the world (地图, dìtú). It provides the foundational concept of a location on the earth.
• 址 (zhǐ): This character means “site” or “location.” Its left-side radical is 土 (tǔ), which also means “earth” or “soil,” reinforcing the connection to a physical place.
• When combined, 地址 (dìzhǐ) literally means “earth-site” or “place-location,” creating a specific and unambiguous term for an address.

The most significant cultural difference in using 地址 (dìzhǐ) lies in its structure. In English, we write addresses from the smallest unit to the largest: Name, Street Number, Street Name, City, State, Zip Code, Country. Chinese culture, which often prioritizes the collective over the individual, reflects this in its address format. A Chinese address is written from the largest unit to the smallest: China → Province → City → District → Street → Gate/Building Number → Apartment Number → Name For example:

• Western Format: John Smith, 123 Main Street, Apt 4B, Anytown, CA 91234, USA.
• Chinese Format: 中国北京市朝阳区建国路88号SOHO现代城A座1101室，张伟 (收)
  • (Zhōngguó Běijīng Shì Cháoyáng Qū Jiànguó Lù 88 Hào SOHO Xiàndài Chéng A Zuò 1101 Shì, Zhāng Wěi (shōu))
  • Translation: China, Beijing City, Chaoyang District, Jianguo Road No. 88, SOHO Modern City Building A, Room 1101, (for) Zhang Wei.

This “big-to-small” structure is a tangible, everyday example of a broader cultural perspective. It places the individual (the specific room) within the context of the larger community (the building, the district, the city) first. For a learner, mastering this order is not just a practical skill for mailing a package; it's a small window into a different way of seeing one's place in the world.

地址 is an indispensable word in modern China.

• Daily Conversation: You'll use it to ask for and give directions or home locations.
• Online Shopping & Food Delivery: When using apps like Taobao (淘宝), JD.com (京东), or Meituan (美团), you must accurately input your 收货地址 (shōuhuò dìzhǐ - delivery address). This is one of the first practical tasks many learners face.
• Digital Communication: The term is flexible. You'll specify which kind of address you mean:
  • 电子邮件地址 (diànzǐ yóujiàn dìzhǐ): Email address (often shortened to just 邮箱 yóuxiāng).
  • IP地址 (IP dìzhǐ): IP address.
  • 网址 (wǎngzhǐ): Website address (URL).

The formality is neutral. It's used in both casual conversations with friends and formal business contexts.

• Example 1:
  • 你家的地址是什么？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ jiā de dìzhǐ shì shénme?
  • English: What is your home address?
  • Analysis: A standard, direct question. 你家的 (nǐ jiā de) specifies “your home's” address.
• Example 2:
  • 请把你的收货地址发给我。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ nǐ de shōuhuò dìzhǐ fā gěi wǒ.
  • English: Please send me your delivery address.
  • Analysis: Very common in the context of e-commerce. 收货 (shōuhuò) means “to receive goods.” The 把 (bǎ) structure is used to emphasize the action's effect on the object (the address).
• Example 3:
  • 我需要公司的地址去参加面试。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào gōngsī de dìzhǐ qù cānjiā miànshì.
  • English: I need the company's address to go for the interview.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates a formal, practical use case. 公司的 (gōngsī de) specifies “the company's.”
• Example 4:
  • 这个地址好像是错的，导航找不到。
  • Pinyin: Zhège dìzhǐ hǎoxiàng shì cuò de, dǎoháng zhǎo bu dào.
  • English: This address seems to be wrong, the GPS can't find it.
  • Analysis: 好像 (hǎoxiàng) means “seems like,” expressing uncertainty. 导航 (dǎoháng) is “navigation” or “GPS.” 找不到 (zhǎo bu dào) is a potential complement meaning “can't find.”
• Example 5:
  • 你的电子邮件地址是什么？我把文件发给你。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de diànzǐ yóujiàn dìzhǐ shì shénme? Wǒ bǎ wénjiàn fā gěi nǐ.
  • English: What is your email address? I'll send the document to you.
  • Analysis: Shows the full term for “email address.” In conversation, people might just say 邮箱 (yóuxiāng).
• Example 6:
  • 你可以在网站上找到我们所有分店的地址。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kěyǐ zài wǎngzhàn shàng zhǎodào wǒmen suǒyǒu fēndiàn de dìzhǐ.
  • English: You can find the addresses of all our branch stores on the website.
  • Analysis: Shows 地址 used in the plural (“addresses”). 分店 (fēndiàn) means “branch store.”
• Example 7:
  • 为了安全，请不要在网上泄露你的家庭地址。
  • Pinyin: Wèile ānquán, qǐng búyào zài wǎngshàng xièlù nǐ de jiātíng dìzhǐ.
  • English: For safety, please do not reveal your home address online.
  • Analysis: 家庭地址 (jiātíng dìzhǐ) is a specific term for “home/family address.” 泄露 (xièlù) is a more formal word for “to leak” or “reveal.”
• Example 8:
  • 技术人员需要你的IP地址来解决网络问题。
  • Pinyin: Jìshù rényuán xūyào nǐ de IP dìzhǐ lái jiějué wǎngluò wèntí.
  • English: The technician needs your IP address to solve the network problem.
  • Analysis: A clear example of how 地址 is used in a technical, digital context.
• Example 9:
  • 请确认一下，这是你的地址吗？中国上海市南京西路123号。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng quèrèn yīxià, zhè shì nǐ de dìzhǐ ma? Zhōngguó Shànghǎi Shì Nánjīng Xī Lù 123 hào.
  • English: Please confirm, is this your address? No. 123, West Nanjing Road, Shanghai, China.
  • Analysis: A practical sentence for confirming information. Note the “big-to-small” order of the example address.
• Example 10:
  • 搬家以后，我必须更新所有账户的地址信息。
  • Pinyin: Bānjiā yǐhòu, wǒ bìxū gēngxīn suǒyǒu zhànghù de dìzhǐ xìnxī.
  • English: After moving, I have to update the address information for all my accounts.
  • Analysis: 信息 (xìnxī) means “information.” 地址信息 is a common collocation meaning “address details.”

• Mistake 1: Address Order. The single most common mistake is writing a Chinese address in the Western “small-to-big” order. It will cause confusion and likely result in failed deliveries. Always remember: Big to Small.
  • Incorrect: 101室, A座, 科技园, 北京市… (Room 101, Building A, Tech Park, Beijing…)
  • Correct: 北京市, 科技园, A座, 101室… (Beijing City, Tech Park, Building A, Room 101…)
• Mistake 2: “False Friend” Verb Usage. In English, “to address” can be a verb meaning “to deal with a problem” or “to give a speech.” The Chinese word 地址 cannot be used this way. It is strictly a noun for a location.
  • Incorrect: 我想 地址 这个问题。(Wǒ xiǎng dìzhǐ zhège wèntí.) → This is meaningless.
  • Correct: 我想 解决 这个问题。(Wǒ xiǎng jiějué zhège wèntí.) → I want to solve this problem.
  • Correct: 他要向我们 演讲。(Tā yào xiàng wǒmen yǎnjiǎng.) → He is going to give a speech to us.
• Nuance: Be Specific. While 地址 can be used on its own if the context is clear, it's often better to be specific by adding a prefix.
  • 家庭地址 (jiātíng dìzhǐ): Home address
  • 公司地址 (gōngsī dìzhǐ): Company address
  • 收货地址 (shōuhuò dìzhǐ): Delivery address
  • 电子邮件地址 (diànzǐ yóujiàn dìzhǐ): Email address

• 地方 (dìfang) - A general word for “place” or “location.” It's less specific than 地址. (e.g., “This is a nice place.” - 这个地方很好。)
• 位置 (wèizhi) - “Position” or “location,” often used when referring to a precise spot on a map or GPS.
• 网址 (wǎngzhǐ) - “Website address,” URL. The 址 (zhǐ) character is the same.
• 住址 (zhùzhǐ) - “Residential address.” More specific than 地址, it exclusively refers to where someone lives.
• 省 (shěng) - Province, the first major administrative division under the national level.
• 市 (shì) - City.
• 区 (qū) - District, a subdivision within a city.
• 路 (lù) - Road or street.
• 街 (jiē) - Street, often implies a commercial or busy street.
• 号 (hào) - Number, used for street numbers, building numbers, and room numbers in an address.