1.
kindergarten child; nursery school child
A child enrolled in a kindergarten or nursery school. Used in both casual and official contexts to refer to young children in pre-elementary education.
園児たちが遊んでいる。
The kindergarten children are playing.
園児の送り迎えは毎日大変だ。
Dropping off and picking up the kindergartener every day is tough.
この幼稚園では園児が自分で弁当を用意する日がある。
At this kindergarten, there are days when the children prepare their own lunch boxes.
USAGE:
Refers specifically to children enrolled in a 幼稚園 (kindergarten) or 保育園 (nursery school). Not used for children who simply happen to be young — the word implies enrollment in a pre-school institution.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 園児募集 (recruiting kindergarteners; enrollment call)
- 園児の保護者 (guardians of kindergarten children)
- 園児数 (number of enrolled children)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 幼児: young child — broader term for any small child, regardless of school enrollment
- 児童: school child — refers to elementary school-age children