配套

pèitào: 配套 - To Form a Complete Set, Supporting, Ancillary

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: 配套, peitao, pei tao, 配套设施, complete set, supporting facilities, ancillary, complementary, integrated infrastructure, Chinese real estate terms, HSK 5 vocabulary, learn Chinese.
  • Summary: “配套 (pèitào)” is a vital Chinese term that means “to form a complete set” or to be “supporting” or “ancillary.” It's used to describe how different parts, services, or facilities come together to create a functional and convenient whole. Most commonly heard in real estate when discussing the “配套设施 (pèitào shèshī)” or supporting facilities like nearby schools, subways, and supermarkets, the concept also applies to industry, government policy, and technology. Understanding 配套 is key to understanding modern Chinese concepts of planning, development, and convenience.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): pèitào
  • Part of Speech: Verb, Adjective
  • HSK Level: HSK 5
  • Concise Definition: To form a complete set or to provide the supporting parts for a main entity.
  • In a Nutshell: Imagine you've just bought a brand new apartment. The apartment itself is the main product. The “配套” is everything else that makes it a great place to live: the subway station down the street, the supermarket next door, the park for your kids, and the hospital nearby. These are the “supporting facilities” that complete the picture. This concept of a functional, integrated system is the essence of 配套. It's not just an accessory; it's a necessary part of a complete, functional whole.

Character Breakdown

  • 配 (pèi): To match, pair, or fit. Think of pairing wine with food or finding a matching lid for a pot. It implies a suitable and harmonious combination.
  • 套 (tào): A set, a collection, or a cover. This character is used for things that come in sets, like a set of books (一套书, yī tào shū) or a suit (一套西装, yī tào xīzhuāng).
  • Together, 配套 (pèitào) literally means “to match a set.” The characters perfectly capture the idea of bringing together all the necessary, matching components to create a complete and functional system.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • 配套 reflects the highly practical, system-oriented mindset prevalent in modern China's rapid development. In a country that has built entire cities from the ground up in a few decades, planning for integrated systems isn't a luxury—it's a necessity. The term embodies the idea that a single project (like an apartment complex) is useless without the surrounding infrastructure to support it.
  • Comparison to Western Concepts: In English real estate, we might talk about “amenities” or a location's “walkability score.” However, 配套 is broader and more fundamental. “Amenities” often refer to non-essential luxuries like a swimming pool or gym. 配套, on the other hand, includes the essential “hardware” of a community: public transportation, schools, hospitals, and basic shopping. It's closer to the urban planning concept of “integrated infrastructure” but is used in everyday conversation. This highlights a cultural emphasis on holistic planning and practicality in daily life.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • The King of Real Estate: This is the most common context for 配套. When buying or renting a home, the quality of the `周边配套` (zhōubiān pèitào - surrounding supporting facilities) is often more important than the apartment itself. A property with `配套齐全` (pèitào qíquán - complete and ready supporting facilities) will command a much higher price.
  • Industry and Business: In a supply chain, a primary manufacturer needs numerous `配套` factories to provide parts. A tech company might sell a main product and offer `配套服务` (pèitào fúwù - supporting services) like installation and maintenance.
  • Government and Policy: When a major new law is introduced, the government will release a series of `配套` policies and regulations to ensure it can be implemented effectively. This shows a top-down, systematic approach to governance.
  • Technology: A new gaming console needs a `配套` ecosystem of games and controllers. A new piece of software might require `配套` hardware to run properly.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 这个小区的配套设施很齐全，有学校、超市，还有地铁站。
    • Pinyin: Zhège xiǎoqū de pèitào shèshī hěn qíquán, yǒu xuéxiào, chāoshì, háiyǒu dìtiězhàn.
    • English: The supporting facilities for this residential complex are very complete; there's a school, a supermarket, and also a subway station.
    • Analysis: This is the classic use case for 配套 in real estate. It's used as an adjective to describe the `设施` (facilities).
  • Example 2:
    • 我们买房子，不仅要看房子本身，更要看周边的配套。
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen mǎi fángzi, bùjǐn yào kàn fángzi běnshēn, gèng yào kàn zhōubiān de pèitào.
    • English: When we buy a house, we not only have to look at the house itself, but more importantly, look at the surrounding supporting infrastructure.
    • Analysis: Here, 配套 is used as a noun, referring to the entire ecosystem of supporting facilities.
  • Example 3:
    • 为了推广电动汽车，政府必须建立配套的充电网络。
    • Pinyin: Wèile tuīguǎng diàndòng qìchē, zhèngfǔ bìxū jiànlì pèitào de chōngdiàn wǎngluò.
    • English: In order to promote electric vehicles, the government must establish a supporting network of charging stations.
    • Analysis: This example shows 配套 used in the context of policy and large-scale infrastructure. The charging network “supports” the main goal of promoting EVs.
  • Example 4:
    • 这家工厂为苹果公司提供配套的零部件。
    • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngchǎng wèi Píngguǒ gōngsī tígōng pèitào de língbùjiàn.
    • English: This factory provides ancillary/supporting components for Apple Inc.
    • Analysis: An example from the industrial/manufacturing sector. The components “form a set” with Apple's main product.
  • Example 5:
    • 这个相机卖得很便宜，但是配套的镜头非常贵。
    • Pinyin: Zhège xiàngjī mài de hěn piányi, dànshì pèitào de jìngtóu fēicháng guì.
    • English: This camera is sold very cheaply, but the compatible lenses are extremely expensive.
    • Analysis: A common technology/product example. The lenses are designed to “match the set” of the camera body.
  • Example 6:
    • 新的法律下个月生效，相关的配套政策也已经出台了。
    • Pinyin: Xīn de fǎlǜ xià ge yuè shēngxiào, xiāngguān de pèitào zhèngcè yě yǐjīng chūtái le.
    • English: The new law takes effect next month, and the related supporting policies have also been rolled out.
    • Analysis: Demonstrates the use of 配套 in a legal or governmental context. The policies support the implementation of the law.
  • Example 7:
    • 我们公司为客户提供产品、安装和售后配套服务。
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī wèi kèhù tígōng chǎnpǐn, ānzhuāng hé shòuhòu pèitào fúwù.
    • English: Our company provides clients with the product, as well as supporting installation and after-sales services.
    • Analysis: Here, it's used to describe services that “complete the package” for a customer.
  • Example 8:
    • 这个旅游套餐不包括配套的导游服务，你需要自己安排。
    • Pinyin: Zhège lǚyóu tàocān bù bāokuò pèitào de dǎoyóu fúwù, nǐ xūyào zìjǐ ānpái.
    • English: This travel package does not include the accompanying tour guide service; you need to arrange it yourself.
    • Analysis: Shows how it can be used for services that are expected to come with a main package.
  • Example 9:
    • 那个新开发区最大的问题就是配套跟不上。
    • Pinyin: Nàge xīn kāifāqū zuìdà de wèntí jiùshì pèitào gēn bu shàng.
    • English: The biggest problem with that new development zone is that the supporting infrastructure can't keep up.
    • Analysis: A negative example. `跟不上 (gēn bu shàng)` means “can't keep up,” a common complaint about poorly planned projects.
  • Example 10:
    • 这个软件需要配套的硬件才能发挥最佳性能。
    • Pinyin: Zhège ruǎnjiàn xūyào pèitào de yìngjiàn cáinéng fāhuī zuìjiā xìngnéng.
    • English: This software requires complementary hardware to achieve its best performance.
    • Analysis: Another tech example showing the relationship between software and its necessary hardware components.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • Not for People: A very common mistake for learners is to use 配套 to describe people. You cannot say a couple is `很配套`. This would make them sound like objects or a hardware set. To say two people are a good match, you should use `般配 (bānpèi)` or `相配 (xiāngpèi)`.
    • Incorrect: `他们两个很配套。` (Tāmen liǎng ge hěn pèitào.)
    • Correct: `他们两个很般配。` (Tāmen liǎng ge hěn bānpèi.)
  • “Supporting Facilities” vs. “Accessories”: While the charger and headphones that come with your phone are a type of 配套, don't limit the word to this meaning. Translating it simply as “accessories” misses its much larger-scale application to infrastructure, policy, and entire ecosystems. 配套 implies a more essential, integral relationship than “accessory.”
  • Verb vs. Adjective: Pay attention to its function in a sentence. It can act as a verb, `为…配套` (wèi… pèitào - to provide supporting parts for…), or more commonly as an adjective, `配套的设施` (pèitào de shèshī - supporting facilities).

Related Terms and Concepts

  • `设施 (shèshī)` - Facilities, installations. The most common noun that `配套` modifies, forming the crucial phrase `配套设施`.
  • `齐全 (qíquán)` - Complete, all in readiness. Often used with 配套 to describe a place where all the necessary facilities are present, as in `配套齐全`.
  • `周边 (zhōubiān)` - Periphery, surrounding area. Used to define the area where you expect to find the `配套`, e.g., `小区周边配套` (the supporting facilities in the area surrounding the residential complex).
  • `设备 (shèbèi)` - Equipment, device. Refers more to individual pieces of machinery, whereas `设施` refers to larger installations like buildings or public works.
  • `完整 (wánzhěng)` - Complete, intact, integrated. This describes the state of wholeness that good `配套` helps to achieve.
  • `体系 (tǐxì)` - System. A large-scale concept. The various `配套` parts come together to form a functional `体系`.
  • `一条龙服务 (yī tiáo lóng fúwù)` - Literally “one-dragon service.” This is the service-industry equivalent of 配套, meaning an all-in-one, comprehensive service that covers everything from start to finish.