Meaning
院子 refers to an enclosed outdoor space attached to a building, typically a courtyard or yard. In traditional Chinese architecture, it often describes the open area surrounded by buildings or walls within a residential compound. Modern usage extends to any private outdoor space around a home, including front or back yards.
Usage
This word is commonly used in everyday conversation to describe residential outdoor spaces. Northern Chinese homes traditionally feature 四合院 (sìhéyuàn, courtyard houses) with central courtyards. In modern contexts, it can refer to Western-style yards. Often used with verbs like 打扫 (to clean), 在...里 (in the...), or 种 (to plant).
Examples
- 01我奶奶家有一个很大的院子，里面种了很多蔬菜。, .My grandmother's home has a very large yard with many vegetables planted in it.
- 02孩子们正在院子里玩儿。.The children are playing in the yard.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个院子
Common collocations
- 在院子里in the yard
- 打扫院子to sweep/clean the yard
- 院子里种了很多花many flowers are planted in the yard
Origin
院 originally meant an enclosed space or courtyard. The suffix 子 is added to form a common colloquial noun, typical in northern Mandarin dialects.