shared compound; crowded courtyard
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
a residential courtyard shared by multiple households; crowded tenement compound
neutralCommonly used in northern China, especially in Beijing dialect, where the erhua (儿化) is obligatory. Often refers to traditional low-income housing where several families share a single courtyard. Also called 大杂院儿.
Tā他
men们
yī一
jiā家
zhù住
zài在
yī一
gè个
xiǎo小
zá杂
yuàn院
ér儿
lǐ里
。
Their family lives in a small shared compound.
Zhè这
gè个
dà大
zá杂
yuàn院
ér儿
lǐ里
zhù住
le了
shí十
jǐ几
hù户
rén人
jiā家
。
More than ten families live in this big crowded courtyard.
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Lǎo老
Běi北
jīng京
de的
zá杂
yuàn院
ér儿
chéng承
zài载
zhe着
jǐ几
dài代
rén人
de的
jì记
yì忆
。
The old Beijing compounds carry the memories of several generations.
Zá杂
yuàn院
ér儿
lǐ里
de的
lín邻
jū居
men们
guān关
xi系
dōu都
tè特
bié别
hǎo好
。
The neighbors in the compound have especially good relationships with each other.