About
The character 院 (yuàn) is a phono-semantic compound denoting enclosed spaces and institutions. It combines the semantic radical 阝 (fǔ), representing a mound or barrier, with the phonetic component 完 (wán), meaning "complete". Its original sense referred to a wall or walled enclosure, drawing on the barrier meaning of the radical. The meaning soon shifted from the wall to the enclosed space itself, coming to mean a courtyard or compound. This sense further extended to the buildings within such spaces, eventually becoming the standard term for various institutions like hospitals, colleges, and government offices.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我哥哥在医院工作。
她考上了一所著名的学院。
这个案件将在下周上法院审理。
故宫博物院收藏了许多珍贵文物。
我们在院子里种了一棵苹果树。
这家剧院以演出经典话剧闻名。
科学院的院士们做出了重大贡献。
该研究院正在开发新的环保技术。