shèshī: 设施 - Facilities, Installations, Infrastructure

• Keywords: 设施, she shi, Chinese facilities, public facilities in China, infrastructure in Chinese, buildings and installations, amenities, what are 设施, she shi vs she bei.
• Summary: “设施” (shè shī) is a fundamental Chinese noun for “facilities,” “installations,” or “amenities.” It's an essential term for anyone discussing modern life in China, referring to everything from a gym's equipment and a hotel's swimming pool to a city's public infrastructure like parks and subway systems. Understanding “设施” is key to talking about urban development, real estate, and the quality of public services in China today.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shè shī
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: “设施” refers to the physical structures, systems, and equipment built to serve a specific purpose or community.
• In a Nutshell: Think of “设施” as the “stuff” that makes a place functional and livable. It's the hardware of a community. A park has recreational facilities (游乐设施), a school has educational facilities (教学设施), and a city has public facilities (公共设施). It's a broad, practical term for the built environment that serves people.

• 设 (shè): To establish, to set up, to arrange. This character implies a deliberate act of planning and creation.
• 施 (shī): To implement, to carry out, to bestow. This character suggests putting a plan into action or providing something for use.

Together, 设 (to establish) + 施 (to implement) literally mean “that which is established and implemented.” This perfectly captures the meaning of “facilities”—things that have been intentionally built and put in place for a specific function.

While “facilities” might seem like a purely functional word, in China, 设施 (shèshī) is deeply tied to the narrative of national progress and modernization. For the past several decades, China has undergone one of the most rapid urban and infrastructural transformations in human history. In this context, 设施 is not just a neutral noun; it's a symbol of development, prosperity, and improving quality of life. News reports, government plans, and everyday conversations are filled with discussions about new 设施—from high-speed rail networks to gleaming new stadiums and parks. A key difference from Western discourse is the emphasis on newness and scale. While a conversation about “infrastructure” in the U.S. might focus on repairing aging bridges, in China, it's often about the grand opening of a brand-new subway line or airport. Having “先进的设施” (xiānjìn de shèshī - advanced facilities) is a point of local and national pride, reflecting the collective value placed on tangible, visible signs of progress and the government's role in providing for its citizens.

设施 is an extremely common and practical word used in both formal and informal contexts.

• Formal Usage: You'll see it constantly in real estate listings, government reports, and news articles.
  • `小区配套设施齐全。` (Xiǎoqū pèitào shèshī qíquán.) - The residential community's supporting facilities are complete.
  • `政府将投资改善交通设施。` (Zhèngfǔ jiāng tóuzī gǎishàn jiāotōng shèshī.) - The government will invest in improving transportation facilities.
• Informal Usage: In daily conversation, people use it to talk about the amenities of a place.
  • `这个酒店的健身设施怎么样？` (Zhège jiǔdiàn de jiànshēn shèshī zěnmeyàng?) - How are this hotel's fitness facilities?
  • `我们公园的儿童游乐设施很受欢迎。` (Wǒmen gōngyuán de értóng yóulè shèshī hěn shòu huānyíng.) - The children's play facilities in our park are very popular.

The connotation is generally neutral but becomes positive when describing good, new, or complete facilities, and negative when describing a lack thereof.

• Example 1:
  • 这个新小区的设施非常现代化。
  • Pinyin: Zhège xīn xiǎoqū de shèshī fēicháng xiàndàihuà.
  • English: The facilities in this new residential community are very modern.
  • Analysis: A common sentence in the context of real estate. “现代化” (xiàndàihuà - modern) is often used to describe new 设施.
• Example 2:
  • 学校需要更多资金来更新教学设施。
  • Pinyin: Xuéxiào xūyào gèng duō zījīn lái gēngxīn jiàoxué shèshī.
  • English: The school needs more funding to update its educational facilities.
  • Analysis: Here, 设施 is combined with “教学” (jiàoxué - teaching/education) to create a more specific term.
• Example 3:
  • 这家健身房的设施很齐全，什么都有。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā jiànshēnfáng de shèshī hěn qíquán, shénme dōu yǒu.
  • English: The facilities at this gym are very complete; they have everything.
  • Analysis: “齐全” (qíquán - complete, comprehensive) is a key adjective used with 设施 to indicate that nothing is lacking.
• Example 4:
  • 政府计划在未来五年内改善城市的公共设施。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ jìhuà zài wèilái wǔ nián nèi gǎishàn chéngshì de gōnggòng shèshī.
  • English: The government plans to improve the city's public facilities within the next five years.
  • Analysis: “公共设施” (gōnggòng shèshī) is a set phrase for “public facilities,” a very common term in news and official announcements.
• Example 5:
  • 虽然酒店位置很好，但是设施有点陈旧。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán jiǔdiàn wèizhì hěn hǎo, dànshì shèshī yǒudiǎn chénjiù.
  • English: Although the hotel's location is great, its facilities are a bit old and outdated.
  • Analysis: “陈旧” (chénjiù - old, outdated) is the opposite of “先进” (xiānjìn) or “现代化” (xiàndàihuà) and expresses dissatisfaction.
• Example 6:
  • 我们必须保护公园里的娱乐设施。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū bǎohù gōngyuán lǐ de yúlè shèshī.
  • English: We must protect the recreational facilities in the park.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows 设施 being used for things related to fun and entertainment (“娱乐” yúlè).
• Example 7:
  • 这个度假村提供一流的会议设施。
  • Pinyin: Zhège dùjiàcūn tígōng yīliú de huìyì shèshī.
  • English: This resort provides first-class conference facilities.
  • Analysis: This shows how the term is used in a business or commercial context. “一流的” (yīliú de) means “first-class.”
• Example 8:
  • 这里的医疗设施水平很高。
  • Pinyin: Zhèlǐ de yīliáo shèshī shuǐpíng hěn gāo.
  • English: The standard of medical facilities here is very high.
  • Analysis: “医疗设施” (yīliáo shèshī) refers to hospitals, clinics, and their foundational infrastructure.
• Example 9:
  • 这个城市的基础设施建设得很快。
  • Pinyin: Zhège chéngshì de jīchǔ shèshī jiànshè de hěn kuài.
  • English: This city's infrastructure is being built very quickly.
  • Analysis: “基础设施” (jīchǔ shèshī) is the specific word for “infrastructure” (roads, power grids, etc.) and is a subset of the broader term 设施.
• Example 10:
  • 购买前，你应该仔细检查公寓的配套设施。
  • Pinyin: Gòumǎi qián, nǐ yīnggāi zǐxì jiǎnchá gōngyù de pèitào shèshī.
  • English: Before buying, you should carefully check the apartment's supporting facilities.
  • Analysis: “配套设施” (pèitào shèshī) is a common real estate term for the amenities that come with a property, like a gym, pool, or parking.

The most critical point of confusion for learners is the difference between 设施 (shèshī) and 设备 (shèbèi). They can both be translated as “equipment” in some dictionaries, but they are not interchangeable.

• 设施 (shèshī) - Facilities / Installations: Refers to larger, structural, often immovable items or systems that serve a place. Think of the building, the plumbing, the playground structure itself.
  • Correct: 医院是重要的医疗设施。 (Yīyuàn shì zhòngyào de yīliáo shèshī.) - A hospital is an important medical facility.
• 设备 (shèbèi) - Equipment / Devices: Refers to smaller, individual, often movable machines or tools that are used *within* a facility. Think of the computers, the projector, the MRI machine.
  • Correct: 医院买了一台新设备。 (Yīyuàn mǎile yí tái xīn shèbèi.) - The hospital bought a new piece of equipment.

Common Mistake:

• Incorrect: `我们办公室有很多新设施。` (Wǒmen bàngōngshì yǒu hěn duō xīn shèshī.)
• Why it's wrong: An office contains individual pieces of equipment like computers, printers, and coffee machines. These are 设备 (shèbèi). The word 设施 (shèshī) would refer to the building's central air conditioning, the elevators, or the parking garage—the larger infrastructure.
• Correct: `我们办公室有很多新设备。` (Wǒmen bàngōngshì yǒu hěn duō xīn shèbèi.) - Our office has a lot of new equipment.

Think of it this way: You put 设备 (equipment) inside a 设施 (facility).

• 设备 (shèbèi) - The most important related term. Refers to individual pieces of equipment or devices, as opposed to larger facilities.
• 基础设施 (jīchǔ shèshī) - Infrastructure. A more specific and large-scale type of 设施, referring to fundamental systems like roads, bridges, and power grids.
• 公共设施 (gōnggòng shèshī) - Public facilities. Specifies that the facilities are for public use, like parks, libraries, and public restrooms.
• 安装 (ānzhuāng) - To install. The verb for setting up both 设施 and 设备.
• 建筑 (jiànzhù) - Building; architecture. A building is a type of facility and contains other facilities.
• 条件 (tiáojiàn) - Conditions; terms. Often used to describe the state of facilities, e.g., “设施条件很好” (the condition of the facilities is good).
• 环境 (huánjìng) - Environment; surroundings. Good facilities contribute to a good living or working environment.
• 齐全 (qíquán) - Complete; comprehensive. A common adjective used to praise a place for having all the necessary facilities.
• 便利 (biànlì) - Convenient; convenience. The goal of having good facilities is to provide convenience.