操场 (cāochǎng) — playground / sports ground

操场 (cāochǎng)

操场 refers to a playground, sports field, or schoolyard, typically an open outdoor area where students exercise, play sports, or do morning exercises. 操 relates to exercise or drill, and 场 means a field or open space. In Chinese schools, the 操场 is central to student life. Morning exercises (早操) are held there each day, and it is where students spend their breaks running, playing basketball, or doing group activities.

Meanings

1. [noun] Playground; sports ground; schoolyard (outdoor exercise area, usually at a school).

Example Sentences

学生们在操场上踢足球。 Xuéshengmen zài cāochǎng shàng tī zúqiú. The students are playing football on the sports ground.

早上我们在操场做早操。 Zǎoshang wǒmen zài cāochǎng zuò zǎocāo. In the morning we do morning exercises on the playground.

操场中间有一个篮球场。 Cāochǎng zhōngjiān yǒu yī gè lánqiúchǎng. There is a basketball court in the middle of the sports ground.

放学后，孩子们都跑到操场玩。 Fàngxué hòu, háizimen dōu pǎo dào cāochǎng wán. After school, all the children run to the playground to play.

Collocations

Memory Hook

操 (exercise/drill) plus 场 (field/space). An 操场 is literally the field where you do exercises and drills.