校庭

こうてい

school yard

JLPT N2

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"校庭" (こうてい) refers specifically to the school yard or playground area within a school. It is a common noun used in educational contexts and everyday conversation when talking about school facilities.

Common Contexts

This word is often used when describing where students play, hold events like sports days, or perform cleaning duties. It implies an outdoor space that is part of the school grounds.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 校庭で遊ぶ: to play in the school yard, often used when talking about children or students.
  • 校庭の掃除: cleaning the school yard, a common school routine.
  • 校庭で開催される: held in the school yard, used for events like sports days or festivals.

Register and Nuance

"校庭" is a neutral term suitable for both formal and informal contexts. It is more specific than just "庭" (garden) or "場所" (place), clearly indicating the school environment.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "校庭" with "校舎" (school building) or "運動場" (sports ground). "校庭" usually refers to the general school yard including playgrounds, while "運動場" is more specifically for sports fields.

Example Sentences

こどもたちはこうていでげんきにあそんでいます。

The children are playing energetically in the school yard.

こうていのそうじはまいあさせいとがおこないます。

Students clean the school yard every morning.

うんどうかいはこうていでかいさいされます。

The sports day is held in the school yard.