The word 幼儿园 (yòu'éryuán), meaning "kindergarten", is formed through a direct and evocative conceptual metaphor. It combines 幼 (yòu, meaning "young" or "early childhood"), 儿 (ér, meaning "child"), and 园 (yuán, meaning "garden" or "enclosed grounds"). The term therefore literally translates to "garden for young children", picturing the institution not just as a place of instruction but as a protected, nurturing environment where young minds are cultivated and encouraged to grow, much like plants in a carefully tended garden.