装饰 (zhuāng shì) is a versatile word meaning both 'decoration' (noun) and 'to decorate' (verb). The first character 装 (zhuāng) means 'to dress', 'to equip', or 'to install', while 饰 (shì) means 'ornament' or 'adornment'. Together, they convey the idea of adding visual appeal or functional embellishment to something — whether it's a room, a cake, clothing, or even digital interfaces. It’s commonly used in contexts involving interior design, festivals, product packaging, and personal style.

This word appears frequently in daily life: you’ll see it on signs for decoration stores (装饰公司), in home renovation discussions, and in craft instructions. As a noun, it often follows measure words like 件 (a piece of decoration) or 种 (a type of decoration); as a verb, it typically takes an object directly (e.g., 装饰房间). It carries a neutral-to-formal register and is rarely used in casual speech without context — native speakers might say 打扮 (dǎ ban) for personal styling instead.