Definition
斗室 is a literary term for a tiny, cramped room — literally 'a room as small as a dou (a small ancient measuring vessel)'. It's used in formal or descriptive writing to emphasize extreme smallness and often carries a humble or poetic tone. You won't hear it in everyday conversation; instead, use 小房间 for a small room.
n.
(literary) a tiny rooma cramped chamber
Examples
- 斗室，。Tā zài dǒu lǐ dúshū xiězuò, yì dāi jiù shì shí nián.He read and wrote in his tiny room, staying there for ten years.
- 斗室，。Suīrán zhǐ shì dǒu, dàn shōushi de hěn zhěngjié.Although it's just a cramped room, it's kept very tidy.
- 斗室。Zhè jiān dǒu zhǐ néng fàng xià yì zhāng chuáng hé yì zhāng zhuōzi.This tiny room can only fit one bed and one desk.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.