'租客' (zū kè) is a compound noun meaning 'tenant' — a person who rents and lives in or uses a property owned by someone else. The first character, 租 (zū), means 'to rent' or 'to lease', indicating a temporary, paid usage arrangement. The second character, 客 (kè), literally means 'guest' or 'visitor', but here it carries the sense of 'a person associated with a place or service', similar to how it appears in words like 顾客 (gùkè, 'customer') or 房客 (fángkè, 'lodger'). Together, 租客 emphasizes the contractual, non-ownership relationship between the occupant and the property.

This term is commonly used in urban housing contexts, rental agreements, real estate listings, and landlord-tenant discussions. It’s neutral in register — appropriate for formal documents, news reports, and everyday conversation. Unlike 房客 (fángkè), which often implies short-term or informal lodging, 租客 typically refers to someone under a formal rental contract, especially for apartments or commercial spaces.