Chinese word

四合院

Pronunciation

Pinyinsì hé yuàn

Meaning

  • nouncourtyard house

Example

摄影师在老四合院里拍了很多照片。shè yǐng shī zài lǎo sì hé yuàn lǐ pāi le hěn duō zhào piān

The photographer took many photos in the old courtyard house.

Illustration for 四合院 (courtyard house)

More examples

政府出资修缮四合院，以保护传统建筑。zhèng fǔ chū zī xiū shàn sì hé yuàn yǐ bǎo hù chuán tǒng jiàn zhù

The government funded the renovation of courtyard houses to protect traditional architecture.

Core concept

A home whose rooms form four sides around a shared open courtyard.

Common phrases

  • 修缮四合院xiū shàn sì hé yuàn

    renovate courtyard houses

  • 保护四合院bǎo hù sì hé yuàn

    protect courtyard houses

  • 老北京四合院lǎo běi jīng sì hé yuàn

    old Beijing courtyard house

Similar words

院子yuàn zi: An outdoor yard or open space connected to a home.
庭院tíng yuàn: An enclosed courtyard space inside or around a building.
胡同hú tòng: A narrow, winding street or lane lined with traditional homes.
民居mín jū: A home or residential building used as a place for people to live.

Definition in Chinese

四合院是围绕院落布局的传统家居建筑，通常由东西南北四面的房屋合围成一处有中庭的居住空间。sì hé yuàn shì wéi rào yuàn luò bù jú de chuán tǒng jiā jū jiàn zhù tōng cháng yóu dōng xī nán běi sì miàn de fáng wū hé wéi chéng yí chù yǒu zhōng tíng de jū zhù kōng jiān

Word origin

四合院 (sìhéyuàn, "courtyard house") combines 四 (sì, "four") + 合 (hé, "join") + 院 (yuàn, "courtyard") to name four sides joining around an open center.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, the term can cover the entire residential compound, not only the open yard, so descriptions may distinguish the rooms, gates, and central space.

Opposites

  • 高层公寓gāo céng gōng yùhigh-rise apartmentnoun
  • 现代住宅区xiàn dài zhù zhái qūmodern residential areanoun

Related words

  • 四合院民居sì hé yuàn mín jūcourtyard-house residencenoun
  • 四合院文化sì hé yuàn wén huàcourtyard-house culturenoun

Word lists with this word