Usage note
院子表示房子外面的一块空地。
yuàn zi biǎo shì fáng zi wài miàn de yí kuài kòng dì。
院子 means the open space outside a house or building.
Context note
院子常用于家庭、植物和活动。
yuàn zi cháng yòng yú jiā tíng 、 zhí wù hé huó dòng。
Yard/courtyard is often used with family, plants, and activities.
5 examples
院子里有花。
yuàn zi lǐ yǒu huā。
There are flowers in the yard.
孩子们在院子里玩。
hái zi men zài yuàn zi lǐ wán。
The children play in the yard.
院子很大。
yuàn zi hěn dà。
The yard is very big.
他在院子里种树。
tā zài yuàn zi lǐ zhòng shù。
He plants trees in the yard.
院子外面很安静。
yuàn zi wài miàn hěn ān jìng。
It is quiet outside the yard.
5 mini stories
奶奶喜欢在院子里种菜。
nǎi nai xǐ huan zài yuàn zi lǐ zhòng cài。
Grandma likes growing vegetables in the yard.
院子里有一只小狗。
yuàn zi lǐ yǒu yì zhī xiǎo gǒu。
There is a little dog in the yard.
我们在院子里吃晚饭。
wǒ men zài yuàn zi lǐ chī wǎn fàn。
We ate dinner in the yard.
下雨后，院子里很湿。
xià yǔ hòu， yuàn zi lǐ hěn shī。
After the rain, the yard was very wet.
他把自行车放在院子里。
tā bǎ zì xíng chē fàng zài yuàn zi lǐ。
He put the bicycle in the yard.
Mini dialogue
在院子里玩
A
我们去院子里踢球吧！
Wǒmen qù yuànzi lǐ tīqiú ba!
Let's go play soccer in the courtyard!
B
好，院子很大，可以跑。
Hǎo, yuànzi hěn dà, kěyǐ pǎo.
Okay, the courtyard is big, we can run.
打扫院子
A
奶奶在院子里种了很多花。
Nǎinai zài yuànzi lǐ zhòng le hěn duō huā.
Grandma planted many flowers in the courtyard.
B
真漂亮！我们一起打扫院子吧。
Zhēn piàoliang! Wǒmen yìqǐ dǎsǎo yuànzi ba.
So beautiful! Let's clean the courtyard together.
Related words and contrasts
similar
花园
huāyuán
garden
院子 is an open space; 花园 is a garden with flowers
related
后院
hòuyuàn
backyard
后院 is the yard at the back of a house