院

yuàn

完 + 阝

Definitions

yuàn (noun) courtyard

yuàn (noun) institution; organization

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 完 represents the sound.

Semantic: 阝 Phonetic: 完

About

院 (yuàn) is a phonosemantic compound: the left component 阝 (fǔ) is the 'mound' or 'wall' radical, here conveying the idea of a barrier or enclosure, while 完 (wán, meaning 'complete') provides the sound. The original meaning of the character was a wall or a walled enclosure. Over time, this shifted to the space enclosed by the wall, a courtyard or compound, and then extended to the buildings within such a compound. Eventually, 院 became the standard suffix for various public and private institutions, including hospitals, colleges, academies, and governmental branches.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我哥哥在医院工作。

Wǒ gēge zài yīyuàn gōngzuò.

My older brother works at a hospital.

她考上了一所著名的学院。

Tā kǎoshàng le yī suǒ zhùmíng de xuéyuàn.

She was admitted to a famous college.

这个案件将在下周上法院审理。

Zhège ànjiàn jiāng zài xià zhōu shàng fǎyuàn shěnlǐ.

This case will go to court for trial next week.

故宫博物院收藏了许多珍贵文物。

Gùgōng Bówùyuàn shōucáng le xǔduō zhēnguì wénwù.

The Palace Museum houses many precious cultural relics.

我们在院子里种了一棵苹果树。

Wǒmen zài yuànzi li zhòng le yī kē píngguǒ shù.

We planted an apple tree in the courtyard.

这家剧院以演出经典话剧闻名。

Zhè jiā jùyuàn yǐ yǎnchū jīngdiǎn huàjù wénmíng.

This theater is famous for staging classic plays.

科学院的院士们做出了重大贡献。

Kēxuéyuàn de yuànshì men zuò chūle zhòngdà gòngxiàn.

The academicians of the Academy of Sciences have made significant contributions.

该研究院正在开发新的环保技术。

Gāi yánjiūyuàn zhèngzài kāifā xīn de huánbǎo jìshù.

That research institute is developing new environmental protection technologies.

Related Characters

Component: 完

Component: 阝

院