野营

• Pinyin: yě yíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 野 = 里 (village) + 予 (extend — wild land beyond the village); 营 = 火 (fire) + 宫 (sheltered dwelling — an encampment built around fire for warmth and protection)

Meaning

To camp; camping. The activity of staying overnight in a natural outdoor setting using tents or temporary shelter.

Used for both recreational camping and military field camping. In civilian contexts, 野营 implies leisure or adventure camping in forests, mountains, or open countryside. Military usage (野营训练) implies survival and tactical field training. Recreational camping among urban youth surged in popularity in China during the early 2020s as a lifestyle trend.

Examples

1. 这个周末父母带着孩子去郊外野营，在河边支起帐篷，围坐篝火讲故事，度过了一段远离城市喧嚣的难忘时光。 This weekend, the parents took their child camping in the suburbs. They pitched a tent by the river, sat around a campfire telling stories, and spent an unforgettable time away from the noise of the city.
2. 部队在山地丛林中进行为期三周的野营训练，要求士兵在完全断绝外部补给的情况下依靠自然环境维持基本生存需求。 The army carried out a three-week camping training exercise in mountainous jungle terrain, requiring soldiers to meet basic survival needs by relying on the natural environment with all outside supplies cut off.
3. 近年来城市白领之间兴起了一股精致野营的风潮，露营爱好者携带专业装备将户外体验与生活美学融为一体。 In recent years, an “upscale camping” craze has taken off among urban white-collar workers, with enthusiasts bringing professional gear and blending outdoor experiences with lifestyle aesthetics.

Usage Guide

Context: outdoor activities, military, leisure, youth culture

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这支大学生志愿者登山队在深山野营五个夜晚，翻越三座山脊，锻炼了意志，也积累了野外经验。(This team of university volunteers camped in the mountains for five nights, crossed three ridges, and built both determination and wilderness experience.)
• 公司每年野营团建都把员工带到山野里，通过搭帐篷、野外炊事和定向活动，增强了部门协作。(The company's annual camping team-building event takes employees into the hills, where pitching tents, outdoor cooking, and orienteering strengthen cooperation between departments.)

Don't Say

• 我们在宾馆野营 — 野营 specifically means camping outdoors in a natural setting with tents; staying in a hotel or guesthouse cannot be 野营; say 我们在宾馆住宿 or 我们在民宿过夜; 野营 requires a genuine outdoor natural environment without permanent buildings

Origin & History

野 (wild/outdoors — uncultivated land beyond settlement) + 营 (camp/encampment — 火 fire + 宫 sheltered space; a place where soldiers or travellers shelter around fire)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal