园

園

yuán

元 + 囗

HSK 3.0Level 3

Definitions

yuán (noun) garden; park

yuán (noun) yard; courtyard

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 囗 represents the meaning and 元 represents the sound. Simplified form of 園.

Semantic: 囗 Phonetic: 元

About

园 is a simplified form of 園, a phonosemantic compound where 囗 (enclosure) indicates meaning and 元 gives the sound, replacing the more complex phonetic 袁. It initially denoted a walled or fenced area for cultivating fruit trees, vegetables, and flowers, distinct from open fields used for staple crops. Later its meaning broadened to any deliberately bounded and planned space for recreation, landscaping, or public use, such as parks and gardens.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

公园里有一个长椅。

Gōngyuán lǐ yǒu yīgè chángyǐ.

There is a bench in the park.

这个花园非常漂亮。

Zhège huāyuán fēicháng piàoliang.

This garden is very beautiful.

我的孩子在幼儿园上学。

Wǒ de háizi zài yòu'éryuán shàngxué.

My child goes to kindergarten.

校园的清晨十分安静。

Xiàoyuán de qīngchén shífēn ānjìng.

The campus is very quiet in the early morning.

动物园里有很多动物。

Dòngwùyuán lǐ yǒu hěnduō dòngwù.

There are many animals in the zoo.

这座园林的设计很独特。

Zhè zuò yuánlín de shèjì hěn dútè.

The design of this classical garden is very unique.

我们参观了著名的颐和园。

Wǒmen cānguān le zhùmíng de Yíhéyuán.

We visited the famous Summer Palace.

那个有机农场更像一个生态园。

Nàgè yǒujī nóngchǎng gèng xiàng yīgè shēngtàiyuán.

That organic farm is more like an ecological park.

Related Characters

Component: 元

Component: 囗

园