‘托儿所’ (tuō ér suǒ) literally means ‘child-care place’: 托 (tuō) means ‘to entrust’ or ‘to entrust care to someone’, 儿 (ér) is a colloquial term for ‘child’, and 所 (suǒ) is a common suffix meaning ‘place’ or ‘facility’. Together, the word refers to a supervised facility where young children—typically under age 3 or 4—are cared for during the day while parents work or attend to other responsibilities. It emphasizes temporary, professional childcare rather than long-term education.

In China, 托儿所 differs from 幼儿园 (yòu ér yuán, kindergarten), which usually serves older preschoolers (ages 3–6) and focuses more on early learning and socialization. 托儿所 tends to be smaller, often attached to workplaces or residential communities, and prioritizes basic care, feeding, napping, and safety. While usage has declined somewhat with the rise of private daycare and home-based caregivers, it remains a standard term in official documents, urban parenting discussions, and workplace benefit policies.