四合院是汉族民居形式的典型，历史最悠久，分布最广泛。其中，北京、山西、陕西、河北的四合院最具代表性。

The siheyuan is the archetypal dwelling style of the Han people. It also has the longest history and the largest geographical distribution. Of all the siheyuans in China, those of Beijing, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Hebei are the most typical.

　　“四”意味着东西南北四边，“合”的意思是围在一起，四合院就是一个用四边房屋包围起来的院落。四边房屋分别是正房、南房、东厢房和西厢房。它们形成一个“口”字，里面是一个中心庭院，开一个大门。

In the word siheyuan, si refers to the four sides (north, south, east and west) and he means “to enclose.” The siheyuan, therefore, is a courtyard enclosed by four buildings, one on each side. The four buildings are the northern main building, the southern building, the eastern side building, and the western side building. They form a rectangular configuration that encloses a central courtyard. The entire siheyuan has only one gate.

　　四合院关起门来就是一个封闭的空间，一家一户，住在一个院子里，过着一种安逸、清静的日子，非常符合中国人传统的居住观念。一家三代，长辈住正房，晚辈住厢房，南房用做书房或客厅。四面房屋各自独立，彼此之间有游廊联接。中间的庭院用来种树栽花、饲鸟养鱼、纳凉休息。

Once the gate of the siheyuan is shut, it becomes a closed space in which a single family resides. Living in this type of courtyard residence and enjoying a comfortable, quiet life accord with the traditional Chinese concept of dwelling. Generally, three generations live in a single siheyuan; the main building serves as the living quarters for the elders, while members of the younger generation live in the side buildings. The southern building is used for a study or living room. The four buildings are independent structures, which are connected by corridors. The central courtyard can be used to plant trees and flowers, feed birds or raise fish, or simply to relax and cool off.

　　四合院的典型特征是外观规矩，中线对称。中国的皇宫也是这种建筑风格，因此可以说，皇宫是放大了的四合院。

The siheyuan’s typical features include an orderly appearance and a symmetrical central axis. This architectural style was also adopted by China’s imperial palaces. It can be said, therefore, that the imperial palace was like a “magnified” siheyuan.