巷 (xiàng) - lane & alley

巷Tone 4

xiàng ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 巳

想信

巷 · xiàng

lane;

alley;

narrow street between buildings.

lanealleynarrow street between buildings.

Usage highlights

alleysmall lanestreet and alleyalleywayHutong alleydeep lane

Synonyms

  • 胡同— hutong (traditional alley)
  • 里弄— lane (Shanghai-style)
  • 弄堂— alleyway (regional)

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We live in a small alley (小巷).
  • The hutong is a traditional Beijing alley (胡同).
  • There are many shops in this street (街巷).
  • The alley is very quiet (巷子很安静).

Collocations

  • alley(巷子)
  • small lane(小巷)
  • street and alley(街巷)
  • alleyway(巷道)
  • Hutong alley(胡同巷)
  • deep lane(深巷)

Idioms

  • A famous wine needs no alley(酒香不怕巷子深)
  • Streets and alleys(大街小巷)
  • Alley talk and street gossip(巷议街谈)
  • To go into a dead end(走入死巷)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Represents traditional urban residential patterns in Chinese cities, especially hutongs in Beijing.
  • Often associated with community life, local culture, and historical preservation in Chinese urban planning.
  • In literature, alleys symbolize hidden stories, local life, and sometimes mystery or secrecy.

FAQ