Chinese for carpenters

Hello / thank you

你好 / 谢谢

nǐ hǎo / xiè xie

Simple courtesy goes a long way on site.

Please help me look at this

请帮我看一下

qǐng bāng wǒ kàn yī xià

Can you change this?

可以改吗？

kě yǐ gǎi ma?

Height / width / depth

高度 / 宽度 / 深度

gāo dù / kuān dù / shēn dù

Keep these three words ready when discussing cabinets and appliances.

How many centimetres?

多少厘米？

duō shǎo lí mǐ?

Site talk usually uses 厘米 (cm), not inches.

Leave a 5 cm gap on the left and right

左右各留五厘米

zuǒ yòu gè liú wǔ lí mǐ

Useful for fridge and washer clearances.

Leave 10 cm at the top

上面留十厘米

shàng miàn liú shí lí mǐ

Measure again

再量一次

zài liáng yī cì

Depth

深度

shēn dù

Also covered in height / width / depth above — kept alone because it comes up constantly for cabinets and grooves.

Groove / rebate depth

槽的深度

cáo de shēn dù

For sink cutouts, sliding tracks, or board rebates.

Whole-house custom carpentry

全屋定制

quán wū dìng zhì

Common package term for full custom cabinets and built-ins.

Kitchen

厨房

chú fáng

Kitchen cabinet / worktop

厨柜 / 台面

chú guì / tái miàn

Worktop / countertop

台面

tái miàn

Worktop height 90 cm

台面高度九十厘米

tái miàn gāo dù jiǔ shí lí mǐ

Sink / basin

水盆

shuǐ pén

Back panel

背板

bèi bǎn

Adjustable shelf

活动层板

huó dòng céng bǎn

In sections / segmented

分段

fēn duàn

Often used when cabinets must be made in pieces to fit the lift.

Cutout / notch / opening

缺口

quē kǒu

For pipes, sockets, beams, or appliance openings.

Sliding

推拉

tuī lā

As in sliding doors or sliding panels.

Track / rail

轨道

guǐ dào

For sliding doors and drawers.

Hardware / fittings / accessories

配件

pèi jiàn

Hinges, handles, tracks, and other fittings.

Soft-close drawer

阻尼抽屉

zǔ ní chōu ti

Door hinge / handle

铰链 / 拉手

jiǎo lián / lā shǒu

Higold

悍高

hàn gāo

Chinese kitchen hardware brand — pull-outs, baskets, and accessories.

DTC

东泰

dōng tài

Common hinge and drawer hardware brand; often the default for China carpentry.

Blum

百隆

bǎi lóng

Premium Austrian hinges and drawer systems; often a top-up from the default package. Popular well known brand in renovation.

Plywood / board

夹板 / 板材

jiā bǎn / bǎn cái

Formaldehyde-free / ENF grade

无醛 / ENF级

wú quán / ENF jí

Useful when discussing board grade.

Paint / laminate / veneer

油漆 / 防火板 / 木皮

yóu qī / fáng huǒ bǎn / mù pí

Same colour / same material

同一个颜色 / 同一种材料

tóng yī gè yán sè / tóng yī zhǒng cái liào

Socket / power point

插座

chā zuò

Confirm socket positions before cabinets close the wall.

Will come with a switch

会配开关

huì pèi kāi guān

Useful when asking if a light or appliance includes a switch.

Robot vacuum

扫地机器人

sǎo dì jī qì rén

Often about under-cabinet clearance so the robot can pass.

Lift / elevator

电梯

diàn tī

Ask about lift size before boards and cabinets are cut.

This is not straight / not level

这个不平 / 不水平

zhè ge bù píng / bù shuǐ píng

There is a gap

有缝隙

yǒu fèng xì

It's adjusted / all set

调整好了

tiáo zhěng hǎo le

Please fix / remake this

请修理 / 重做

qǐng xiū lǐ / chóng zuò

When can it be finished?

什么时候可以做好？

shén me shí hòu kě yǐ zuò hǎo?

TV feature wall / TV cabinet

电视背景墙 / 电视柜

diàn shì bèi jǐng qiáng / diàn shì guì

Leave space around the TV for installation

电视周围要留安装空间

diàn shì zhōu wéi yào liú ān zhuāng kōng jiān

Too-tight niches make mounting very hard.

Cable hole / wire management

过线孔 / 藏线

guò xiàn kǒng / cáng xiàn