How to say "courtyard" in Japanese

• 庭にわJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounIts 'courtyard' sense is secondary: it chiefly means the garden or yard of a house, and for an open court enclosed by buildings it is seldom the word you want — that is 中庭.
  私わたしたちの庭にわには２本ぽんの桜さくらの木きがあります。↗

  Our garden has two cherry trees.
• 中庭なかにわCommon
  nounThe word for a courtyard proper: an open area surrounded by buildings or walls, such as a building's inner court or a school quadrangle. Use it whenever 'courtyard' refers to such an enclosed space.
  中庭なかにわの席せきがありますか。↗

  Do you have a table in the patio?

Use 中庭 for a true courtyard — an open space enclosed by buildings or walls; 庭 chiefly means a garden or yard, and its 'courtyard' sense is secondary, so it seldom fits the enclosed-court meaning.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 庭にわgarden
• 中庭なかにわcourtyard
• コートヤードcourtyard
• 坪庭つぼにわinner garden (esp. small, traditional)