kindergarten
kindergarten — noun
1. In the US education system, the first formal year of schooling that children att
In the US education system, the first formal year of schooling that children attend before first grade, usually starting around age five.
Every morning, Yasmin waits at the bus stop for the kindergarten bus to arrive.
On her first day of kindergarten, Dahlia held her mother's hand very tightly.
no article before 'kindergarten' for the school year
The kindergarten class at Roosevelt Elementary has twenty children and two teachers.
After finishing kindergarten, children start first grade in the autumn.
Joaquín learned to write his own name during his year in kindergarten.
用法筆記
In US English, 'kindergarten' is usually used without an article when referring to the school year itself (e.g., 'My son started kindergarten this fall'). When referring to a particular institution, it is countable ('They chose a kindergarten close to home').
常見錯誤
2. A school for very young children, usually between two and five years old, where
A school for very young children, usually between two and five years old, where they learn through play, creative activities, and social interaction rather than formal lessons.
The kindergarten next to the park takes children from age two to five.
sense 2: accepts toddlers from age 2
At Wei's kindergarten, the children spend most of the morning playing outdoors.
Many working parents look for a kindergarten close to their office.
Shirin started going to kindergarten when she was three years old.
The kindergarten teacher helped the children build a house with large cardboard boxes.
- preschool
The standard US term for the same concept; 'preschool' is preferred in American English for this sense.
- nursery school
Common in British English; slightly more formal and often refers to school-based rather than home-based care.
- playgroup
Less formal, often parent-run and part-time; usually for younger children (ages 2–4).
用法筆記
This sense is more common in British English. In US English, 'preschool' or 'nursery school' is typically used for this age group instead. Distinguish from sense 1, where 'kindergarten' refers specifically to the year before first grade at age five.