Usage note
老家表示家人原来住的地方，或祖籍的地方。
lǎo jiā biǎo shì jiā rén yuán lái zhù de dì fāng， huò zǔ jí de dì fāng。
Hometown means the place where the family originally lived or ancestral home.
Context note
老家常出现在回家、过节和家乡里。
lǎo jiā cháng chū xiàn zài huí jiā 、 guò jié hé jiā xiāng lǐ。
Hometown often appears in returning home, holidays, and home region talk.
5 examples
我回老家。
wǒ huí lǎo jiā。
I return to my hometown.
老家很远。
lǎo jiā hěn yuǎn。
The hometown is far away.
他的老家在南方。
tā de lǎo jiā zài nán fāng。
His hometown is in the south.
我们假期去老家。
wǒ men jià qī qù lǎo jiā。
We go to the hometown during holidays.
老家有很多亲人。
lǎo jiā yǒu hěn duō qīn rén。
There are many relatives in the hometown.
5 mini stories
过节的时候，我们常回老家看亲人。
guò jié de shí hòu， wǒ men cháng huí lǎo jiā kàn qīn rén。
During the holiday, we often return to our hometown to see relatives.
老家那边有很多树和田地。
lǎo jiā nà biān yǒu hěn duō shù hé tián dì。
There are many trees and fields in the hometown.
妈妈说她小时候住在老家。
mā ma shuō tā xiǎo shí hòu zhù zài lǎo jiā。
Mom said she lived in her hometown when she was young.
我喜欢老家的安静感觉。
wǒ xǐ huan lǎo jiā de ān jìng gǎn jué。
I like the quiet feeling of my hometown.
爸爸回老家时，总会带一些礼物。
bà ba huí lǎo jiā shí， zǒng huì dài yì xiē lǐ wù。
When Dad returns to the hometown, he always brings some gifts.
Mini dialogue
假期计划
A
暑假你想去哪里？
Shǔjià nǐ xiǎng qù nǎlǐ?
Where do you want to go for summer vacation?
B
我想回老家看爷爷奶奶。
Wǒ xiǎng huí lǎojiā kàn yéye nǎinai.
I want to go back to my hometown to visit my grandparents.
介绍家乡
A
你的老家在哪里？
Nǐ de lǎojiā zài nǎlǐ?
Where is your hometown?
B
我的老家在四川，那里很美。
Wǒ de lǎojiā zài Sìchuān, nàlǐ hěn měi.
My hometown is in Sichuan, it's very beautiful there.
Related words and contrasts
similar
家乡
jiā xiāng
hometown
Another word for hometown
similar
故乡
gù xiāng
native place
A more poetic word for hometown