玩耍 (wán shuǎ) is a common verb meaning 'to play' — especially for children, animals, or informal leisure activities. It combines 玩 (wán), which means 'to play' or 'to enjoy oneself', and 耍 (shuǎ), which reinforces the sense of lighthearted, unstructured activity — often involving movement, games, or exploration. Unlike the more formal or abstract 玩 (wán) alone, 玩耍 emphasizes active, physical, or social play, and carries a warm, innocent connotation.

This word is frequently used in everyday contexts: describing children’s after-school activities, pets’ behavior, or weekend pastimes. It rarely appears in formal writing or professional settings, and is not used for intellectual or artistic 'play' (e.g., playing music or chess — those use 演奏 or 下棋 instead). While it can be used transitively ('play with something'), it most commonly stands alone or takes a location or time phrase (e.g., 在公园里玩耍, 'play in the park').