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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "courtyard" in Japanese?
中庭
nakaniwa
In Japanese, "courtyard" is 中庭 (nakaniwa).
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Pronunciation
Nah-kah-nee-wah, four syllables meaning 'inside garden' — keep even weight on each syllable, nothing stressed hard.
Writing and usage
中庭 is written using kanji. It's a noun, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
子どもたちは陽気な中庭で遊んでいました。
kodomo tachiha youki na nakaniwa de asonde imashita.
Children played in the sunny courtyard.
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How to remember 中庭
Nakaniwa splits into 'naka' (inside) and 'niwa' (garden) — a courtyard really is just a garden tucked inside.
Related words
- plaza 広場 hiroba
- square 町の広場 machi no hiroba
- monument 記念碑 kinenhi
- lighthouse 灯台 toudai
- pier 桟橋 sanbashi
- dock ドック dokku
- marina マリーナ mariina
- suburb 郊外 kougai
- countryside 田園風景 den'enfuukei
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 中庭
How do you pronounce 中庭?
Nah-kah-nee-wah, four syllables meaning 'inside garden' — keep even weight on each syllable, nothing stressed hard.
Is 中庭 formal or casual?
中庭 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 中庭 written in Japanese?
中庭 is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as nakaniwa.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Courtyard" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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