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幼稚园 (yòu zhì yuán) — kindergarten (used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas Chinese communities)

Definition

Mainland China's standard term is 幼儿园; 幼稚园 is used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas Chinese communities, and is more formal or old-fashioned.

noun
kindergarten (used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas Chinese communities)
Measure word · 所

Examples

  • ，幼稚园。
    Wǒ mèi mei jīn nián sān suì, xià ge yuè kāi shǐ shàng yòu zhì yuán.
    My younger sister is three years old and will start kindergarten next month.
  • 幼稚园，。
    Zhè suǒ yòu zhì yuán de shè shī hěn hǎo, yǒu hěn duō wán jù.
    This kindergarten has good facilities and lots of toys.
  • 幼稚园。
    Tái wān de yòu zhì yuán tōng cháng jiào xiǎo péng yǒu jiǎn dān de yīng wén hé shù xué.
    Kindergartens in Taiwan usually teach young children simple English and math.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

幼稚young and tender
幼yòuyoung稚zhìtender/immature
联合Coordinate
园yuángarden/school

幼 “young” and 稚 “tender” together describe the 园 “garden/school” for small children.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

幼 is built from 幺, shown as tiny, and 力, shown as strength. 幺 may also contribute the sound.

Open 幼 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hérice
Sound part声符shēngfú
屖
屖xī稚zhì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

稚 is built from 禾 (rice) plus 屖, which supplies the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
元
元yuán园yuán
Same sound today

In 园, 元 sits inside 囗, and 元 gives the sound.

Open 园 →
Appears in
School & Education

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