动物园

• Pinyin: dòng wù yuán
• Hanzi breakdown: 动物 (dòngwù) — animals; 园 (yuán) — garden, park

Meaning

Zoo. A place where animals are kept and displayed for the public to visit.

Beijing Zoo and Guangzhou Zoo are among the most famous in China. 动物园 is also a common metro station name in Chinese cities.

Examples

1. 周末我们去动物园玩吧。 Let's go to the zoo this weekend.
2. 动物园里有各种各样的动物。 The zoo has all kinds of animals.
3. 孩子们在动物园玩得很开心。 The children had a great time at the zoo.

Usage Guide

Context: leisure, family outings, travel

Tone: cheerful

Do Say

• 动物园几点开门？(What time does the zoo open?)
• 动物园的门票多少钱？(How much is the zoo entrance ticket?)

Don't Say

• 不要说'动物的园' — 动物园 is a fixed compound; you cannot insert 的 between the words.

Origin & History

Compound of 动物 (animals) and 园 (garden, park). Literally 'animal garden.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal