宾馆
hotel
bīnguǎn
What does 宾馆 mean?
宾馆 (bīnguǎn) means 'hotel' — historically a slightly upscale or government-run lodging, though in modern usage it's a near-synonym for 饭店 (fàndiàn) and 酒店 (jiǔdiàn). The first character 宾 means 'guest' (the same 宾 in 来宾 'guests / visitors'), and 馆 is a generic suffix for 'establishment / hall' (also in 图书馆 'library,' 博物馆 'museum,' 餐馆 'restaurant'). So the word is literally 'guest-house.'
Three things to know about Chinese hotel vocabulary: first, 酒店 (jiǔdiàn) is now the most common word for any modern hotel, especially international chains; second, 饭店 originally meant 'restaurant' but is also used for hotels — context decides; third, 宾馆 still carries a slight whiff of older state-run hotels (北京宾馆) but is perfectly current. Counter is 一家宾馆. Common verbs: 住 ('to stay at'), 订
Character breakdown
guest; visitor
establishment; hall; building
Memory hook: 宾 ('guest') + 馆 ('hall') = a hall for guests. Same 馆 you find in library (图书馆) and museum (博物馆).
Measure word for 宾馆
Example sentences
我们今晚住这家宾馆。
Wǒmen jīnwǎn zhù zhè jiā bīnguǎn.
We're staying at this hotel tonight.
neutral
请问，附近有宾馆吗？
Qǐngwèn, fùjìn yǒu bīnguǎn ma?
Excuse me, is there a hotel nearby?
spoken, polite
这家宾馆很干净。
Zhè jiā bīnguǎn hěn gānjìng.
This hotel is very clean.
neutral
我想订一个宾馆的房间。
Wǒ xiǎng dìng yí gè bīnguǎn de fángjiān.
I'd like to book a hotel room.
spoken
宾馆离机场不远。
Bīnguǎn lí jīchǎng bù yuǎn.
The hotel is not far from the airport.
neutral
Common phrases with 宾馆
Synonyms
酒店 is the most common modern word, especially for larger or international hotels (五星级酒店 'five-star hotel'). 宾馆 sounds slightly older or more domestic. In big cities, default to 酒店 unless speaking about a specific 宾馆.
饭店 originally meant 'restaurant' but also commonly means 'hotel,' especially in northern China and in older brand names (北京饭店). 宾馆 is unambiguously a hotel; 饭店 needs context.
Don't confuse 宾馆 with
饭店 can mean either 'hotel' or 'restaurant' depending on context. 宾馆 is always a hotel. If you say 我去饭店, you might mean either; 我去宾馆 unambiguously means a hotel.
餐馆 is 'restaurant.' Same 馆 suffix as 宾馆 but 餐 means 'meal.' Don't book a room at a 餐馆.
宾客 means 'guests' (the people). 宾馆 is the place that hosts them. Same