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庭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
庭tíngmain halln, 9 strokes, radical 广, rank #3102, Hard
庭tíngfront courtyardn, 9 strokes, radical 广, rank #3102, Hard
庭tínglaw courtn, 9 strokes, radical 广, rank #3102, Hard
庭tíngcourt; courtyard; spacious hall or yardn, 9 strokes, radical 广, rank #3102, Hard
tíng(ting2)ting T2
  1. 1main hall
  2. 2front courtyard
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March 24, 2026

庭tíng(ting2)

The character 庭 (tíng) refers to a courtyard or an enclosed space around a building, often associated with a home or public structure. It can also mean a court in a legal context, indicating the space where legal matters are addressed. In everyday usage, it often evokes images of openness and gathering within a defined area.

Strokes9Radical广Frequency#3102DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese homes, the courtyard (庭) is a central feature, symbolizing family unity and outdoor living. Such spaces are often designed for gatherings and celebrations, emphasizing community in daily life.

Memory tip

Imagine a spacious courtyard (庭) where everyone gathers to discuss important matters. The character looks like a house (宀) with a yard (庭) in front, symbolizing a welcoming space. The pronunciation 'tíng' can be remembered by thinking of 'ting' as a bell that rings in this open area.

Meanings of 庭

tíng(ting2)
1main hall
2front courtyard
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 庭 means.

About 庭

庭Simplified
9Strokes
广Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#3102Frequency Rank

Podcast: 庭

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Podcast: 庭

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AI study notes for 庭

Quick Contrast

院 (yuàn) - use 庭 (tíng) when referring specifically to a courtyard or open area associated with a building, while 院 (yuàn) can denote a broader space, such as a yard or courtyard that may not be enclosed.

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 庭 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly when discussing homes or legal settings. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure you use it specifically for courtyards and courts. It often collocates with words like '院' (yuàn) meaning 'yard' or '法' (fǎ) meaning 'law' to form phrases like '法庭' (fǎtíng) for 'court of law'.

HSK Study Tips

Although 庭 is not specifically listed in the HSK levels, it can be related to Level 3 vocabulary that involves home and legal terms. Focus on distinguishing it from other similar characters and practice using it in sentences about home life or legal scenarios to reinforce learning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 庭 with similar characters like 院 (yuàn), which means 'yard' or 'courtyard' but is more specific. For example, saying '我喜欢我的庭' (Wǒ xǐhuān wǒ de tíng) instead of '我喜欢我的院' (Wǒ xǐhuān wǒ de yuàn) can lead to misunderstanding.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 庭

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Etymology of 庭

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 广 represents the meaning and 廷 represents the sound.

Memory hint

A wide 广 couryard 廷; 廷 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 庭?

Decomposition of 庭

IDS Structure⿸广廷
庭Full character
=
广Guang3
enclosing
廷ting2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 庭?

How to say main hall in Chinese

“main hall” in Chinese is庭tíng

The character 庭 (tíng) refers to a courtyard or an enclosed space around a building, often associated with a home or public structure. It can also mean a court in a legal context, indicating the space where legal matters are addressed. In everyday usage, it often evokes images of openness and gathering within a defined area.

When to use 庭

Be mindful that 庭 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly when discussing homes or legal settings. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure you use it specifically for courtyards and courts. It often collocates with words like '院' (yuàn) meaning 'yard' or '法' (fǎ) meaning 'law' to form phrases like '法庭' (fǎtíng) for 'court of law'.

庭 or something close to it

院 (yuàn) - use 庭 (tíng) when referring specifically to a courtyard or open area associated with a building, while 院 (yuàn) can denote a broader space, such as a yard or courtyard that may not be enclosed.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 庭 with similar characters like 院 (yuàn), which means 'yard' or 'courtyard' but is more specific. For example, saying '我喜欢我的庭' (Wǒ xǐhuān wǒ de tíng) instead of '我喜欢我的院' (Wǒ xǐhuān wǒ de yuàn) can lead to misunderstanding.

Write 庭

庭

Practice writing 庭 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 庭

庭 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

据统计,大多数家____有一到两个子女。

According to statistics, most families have one to two children.

Common confusions with 庭

庭vs听
tīng

Similar pronunciation but different meaning.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “main hall”?

or

Example sentences for 庭 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
佛罗里达州坦帕市法庭判决5名官员的毒品交易罪名成立。

fó luō lǐ dá zhōu tǎn pà shì fǎtíng pànjué5 míng guānyuán de dúpǐn jiāoyì zuì míng chénglì。

A court at Tampa, Florida has convicted five officials on drugs charges.
2
养育孩子的现实经常与浪漫的理想大相径庭。

yǎngyù háizi de xiànshí jīngcháng yǔ làngmàn de lǐxiǎng dà Xiāng jìng tíng。

The reality of mothering is frequently very different from the romantic ideal.
3
家庭疗法指导我们彼此之间的沟通交流。

jiātíng liáofǎ zhǐdǎo wǒmen bǐcǐ zhījiān de gōutōng jiāoliú。

Family therapy showed us how to communicate with each other.
4
只有你的家庭医生才能把你介绍给外科医生。

zhǐyǒu nǐ de jiātíng yīshēng cáinéng bǎ nǐ jièshào gěi wàikē yīshēng。

Only your family doctor can refer you to a surgeon.
5
梅诺卡岛是那种适合家庭旅游的地方。

méi nuò kǎ dǎo shì nà zhǒng shìhé jiātíng lǚyóu de dìfang。

Minorca is the sort of place that caters for families.
6
他种农作物主要是为了家庭自用。

tā zhǒng nóngzuòwù zhǔyào shì wèile jiātíng zì yòng。

He raises crops mainly for the use of his family.
7
证据被当庭呆板地宣读了一遍。

zhèngjù bèi dāng tíng dāi bǎn dì xuāndú le yī biàn。

The evidence was read out to the court in a dull monotone.
8
一伙暴徒捣毁了警察设置的路障冲进法庭。

yī huǒ bào tú dǎo huǐ le jǐngchá shèzhì de lù zhàng chōng jìn fǎtíng。

An unruly mob broke down police barricades and stormed the courtroom.
9
这些家庭当中只有三分之一认为用水表计量是合理的。

zhèxiē jiātíng dāngzhōng zhǐyǒu sān fēn zhīyī rènwéi yòng shuǐ biǎo jì liáng shì hélǐ de。

Only a third of these households thought it reasonable to meter water.
10
你要做的就是拍一段家庭录像片。

nǐ yào zuò de jiùshì pāi yī duàn jiātíng lùxiàng piàn。

All you have to do is make a home video.

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Word Family of 庭

Compounds1
榳tíng
Words containing this character20
家庭jiātíngfamily
法庭fǎtíngcourt of law
庭tíngmain hall
出庭chūtíngto appear in court
开庭kāitíngto begin a (judicial) court session開庭
庭审tíngshěncourt hearing庭審
庭院tíngyuàncourtyard
休庭xiūtíngto adjourn (law)
大相径庭dàxiāngjìngtíngpoles apart大相徑庭
大庭广众dàtíngguǎngzhòngpublic place with numerous people大庭廣眾
天庭tiāntíngheaven
庭长tíngzhǎngpresiding judge庭長
家庭主妇jiātíngzhǔfùhousewife家庭主婦
军事法庭jūnshìfǎtíngcourt-martial軍事法庭
洞庭湖dòngtínghúDongting Lake in northeast Hunan province
合议庭héyìtíngpanel of judges合議庭
审判庭shěnpàntíngcourt審判庭
前庭qiántíngvestibule
退庭tuìtíngto adjourn
庭园tíngyuánflower garden庭園
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 庭

What does 家庭 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 庭

Common phrases that include 庭 (tíng) are '法庭' (fǎtíng - court of law) and '庭院' (tíngyuàn - courtyard). These phrases illustrate how the character is used in different contexts, such as legal and architectural.

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