Translation and Meaning of: 園 - sono

The Japanese word 園 [その] is a simple term, but with a quite specific and useful meaning in daily life. If you are studying Japanese or just curious about the language, understanding the use and origin of this expression can be an important step. In this article, we will explore its meaning, how it is written in kanji, examples of use, and even some cultural curiosities involving this word. All this so that you can learn in a clear and practical way.

Moreover, the 園 [その] is a word that appears in various contexts, from everyday conversations to names of places and institutions. If you've seen this writing somewhere and were in doubt, this text will help clarify everything. Here at Suki Nihongo, our goal is to provide accurate and relevant information for those who want to truly master Japanese.

Meaning and usage of 園 [その]

The term 園 [その] means "garden," "park," or "reserved area," depending on the context. It is often used in the names of public places, such as playgrounds (幼稚園 [ようちえん] - kindergarten) or botanical gardens (植物園 [しょくぶつえん]). The word carries an idea of a defined and cared-for space, often associated with nature or education.

It is worth highlighting that, although 園 can appear alone, it is more common to see it in compound words. For example, 動物園 [どうぶつえん] means "zoo," while 庭園 [ていえん] refers to a traditional landscaped garden. This versatility makes the term quite useful for those learning Japanese vocabulary.

Origin and writing of the kanji 園

The kanji 園 is composed of the radical 囗 (which indicates a limit or enclosure) and the component 袁 (which historically refers to something elongated or extensive). Together, they reinforce the idea of a fenced and organized space, like a garden or park. This construction effectively reflects the practical meaning of the word in the Japanese language.

In terms of reading, 園 has two main pronunciations: "sono" (as in その) and "en" (as in 公園 [こうえん] - public park). The first is used when the kanji appears isolated or in certain compounds, while the second is more common in already established words. Knowing this difference helps avoid mistakes when reading or writing.

Trivia and memorization tips

An effective way to memorize the kanji 園 is to associate it with the image of a walled garden. The radical 囗 resembles a fence, while the rest of the character can be imagined as plants or trees within that space. This simple visualization helps to retain both the meaning and the writing.

In Japan, it is common to find 園 in the names of schools and early childhood education institutions, emphasizing the idea of a protected place dedicated to growth. If you have watched anime or Japanese dramas, you have probably heard terms like 保育園 [ほいくえん] (nursery) or 学園 [がくえん] (school/academy). These uses show how the word is rooted in culture and everyday life.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 公園 (Kōen) - Public park
• 庭園 (Teien) - Garden, often ornamental
• 保育園 (Hoikuen) - Daycare or kindergarten
• 遊園地 (Yūenchi) - Amusement park
• 動物園 (Dōbutsuen) - Zoo
• 花園 (Hanazono) - Flower garden
• 学園 (Gaku-en) - Educational institution, usually a campus
• 植物園 (Shokubutsuen) - Botanical garden
• 神社の境内 (Jinja no keidai) - Inner area of a Shinto shrine
• 神社の敷地 (Jinja no shikichi) - Ground of a Shinto shrine
• 寺院の境内 (Ji-in no keidai) - Inner area of a Buddhist temple
• 寺院の敷地 (Ji-in no shikichi) - Land of a Buddhist temple
• 墓地の敷地 (Bochi no shikichi) - Cemetery plot
• 墓地の境内 (Bochi no keidai) - Interior area of a cemetery
• 町の中心部 (Machi no chūshinbu) - City center
• 街の中心部 (Machi no chūshinbu) - Heart of the city with the most urbanization
• 駅前広場 (Ekimae hiroba) - Square in front of the train station
• 駅前広場の公園 (Ekimae hiroba no kōen) - Park in the square in front of the train station
• 駅前広場の庭園 (Ekimae hiroba no teien) - Garden in the square in front of the train station

園

Romaji: sono
Kana: その
Type: noun
L: -

Translation / Meaning: garden; park; plantation

Meaning in English: garden;park;plantation

Definition: "Garden", as used in parks, zoos, botanical gardens, etc., refers to lands and facilities created to protect, manage, and exhibit plants and animals for a specific purpose or destination.

Example Sentences - (園) sono

See below some example sentences:

遊園地に行きたいです。

Yūenchi ni ikitai desu

I want to go to the amusement park.

I want to go to an amusement park.

• 遊園地 (yūenchi) - Amusement park
• に (ni) - Particle that indicates destination or location
• 行きたい (ikitai) - want to go
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

開放された公園でピクニックを楽しんだ。

Kaifō sareta kōen de pikunikku o tanoshinda

We enjoyed a picnic in the park that was opened to the public.

I enjoyed the picnic in the open park.

• 開放された - open, available
• 公園 - park
• で - in
• ピクニック - picnic
• を - Direct object particle
• 楽しんだ - took advantage, enjoyed

この公園には美しい噴水があります。

Kono kōen ni wa utsukushii funsui ga arimasu

In this park there is a beautiful fountain.

There is a beautiful fountain in this park.

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this" or "this here"
• 公園 - noun that means "park"
• に - particle indicating the location of something, in this case "at"
• は - particle indicating the topic of the sentence, in this case, "this park"
• 美しい - adjective meaning "beautiful" or "beautiful"
• 噴水 - noun meaning "spring" or "fountain"
• が - particle indicating the subject of the sentence, in this case, "the source"
• あります - verb meaning "to exist" or "to be present"

中央にある公園はとても美しいです。

Chūō ni aru kōen wa totemo utsukushii desu

The park in the center is very beautiful.

• 中央にある - located in the center
• 公園 - park
• は - Topic particle
• とても - very
• 美しい - beautiful
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

公園に行きたいです。

Kouen ni ikitai desu

I want to go to the park.

• 公園 (kouen) - park
• に (ni) - particle indicating where you want to go
• 行きたい (ikitai) - want to go
• です (desu) - polite way to end a sentence

国定公園は美しい自然がたくさんあります。

Kokutei kōen wa utsukushii shizen ga takusan arimasu

Kokutei National Park has a lot of beautiful nature.

Kokusai Park has a lot of beautiful nature.

• 国定公園 - National park
• は - Topic particle
• 美しい - pretty
• 自然 - Nature
• が - Subject particle
• たくさん - Very
• あります - They exist

園芸は私の趣味です。

Engei wa watashi no shumi desu

Horticulture is my hobby.

• 園芸 - It means "gardening" in Japanese
• は - Japanese topic particle
• 私の - "Meu" in Japanese
• 趣味 - means "hobby" in Japanese
• です - verb "to be" in Japanese

大きい犬が公園で走っている。

Ookii inu ga kouen de hashitte iru

A large dog is running in the park.

• 大きい - adjective meaning "big"
• 犬 - noun meaning "dog"
• が - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 公園 - noun that means "park"
• で - Particle that indicates the place where the action occurs
• 走っている - verb meaning "to be running" in the present tense and continuous form

王子は美しい庭園を持っています。

Ōji wa utsukushii teien o motteimasu

The prince has a beautiful garden.

• 王子 (ou ōji) - means "prince" in Japanese
• は (ou wa) - topic particle in Japanese, indicates that the subject of the sentence is "prince"
• 美しい (ou utsukushii) - The adjective that means "pretty" or "beautiful" in Japanese is "美しい" (utsukushii).
• 庭園 (ou teien) - noun meaning "garden" or "park" in Japanese
• を (ou o) - direct object particle in Japanese, indicates that "garden" is the direct object of the action
• 持っています (ou motteimasu) - verb meaning "to have" or "to possess" in Japanese, in the present continuous tense

私は公園で落ちていたゴミを拾いました。

Watashi wa kōen de ochite ita gomi o hiroimashita

I picked up the litter that was on the ground in the park.

I picked up the trash that had fallen in the park.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I"
• 公園 (kouen) - noun that means "park"
• で (de) - a grammatical particle that indicates the place where the action took place, in this case, "in the park"
• 落ちていた (ochiteita) - verb in the past continuous that means "was fallen"
• ゴミ (gomi) - The noun that means "garbage" is "lixo".
• を (wo) - grammatical particle that indicates the direct object of the action, in this case, "the trash"
• 拾いました (hiroi mashita) - The verb in the past that means "I took"