Definition
在家 is a verb-object compound meaning 'to be at home' or 'to stay in'. It also has a Buddhist sense: remaining a layperson (not becoming a monk). As a separable verb, it can appear in split forms like the affirmative-negative question 在不在家? ('are you at home or not?') — the verb 在 is repeated and 家 stays at the end.
v.o.
to be at hometo stay in(Buddhist context) to remain a layperson (not a monk)
Examples
- 在家，。Wǒ zhōumò yìbān zài jiā, bù chū mén.I usually stay at home on weekends and don't go out.
- ？Nǐ māma zài bú zài jiā?Is your mother at home or not?
- 在家，。Tā xuǎnzé zài jiā xiūxíng, guò pǔtōng rén de shēnghuó.He chose to practice Buddhism as a layperson and live an ordinary life.
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