玩耍 wánshuǎ to play (as children do)
to play (as children do); to amuse oneself
How to remember 玩耍: 玩 play + 耍 to play = to play (as children do).
Characters
How it is used
- To play / have fun, especially children at play - 孩子们在院子里玩耍 (háizimen zài yuànzi lǐ wánshuǎ) the kids are playing in the yard.
- More literary/written than plain 玩 (wán); you'd write 玩耍 in a story but say 玩 in conversation.
- Intransitive frolicking, no direct object - say 玩游戏 (play a game) with 玩, not 玩耍游戏.
Example sentences
- 让我们玩耍吧。 Ràng wǒmen wánshuǎ ba.Let's play.
- 我们看着这孩子玩耍。 Wǒmen kànzhe zhè háizi wánshuǎ.We watched the children play.
- 我小时候常常独自玩耍。 Wǒ xiǎoshíhòu chángcháng dúzì wánshuǎ.I used to play alone when I was a child.