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巷子 (xiàng zi) — alley; lane

Definition

A narrow lane or alleyway, usually between buildings in a town or city. The noun is colloquial and everyday; the more literary/formal equivalent is 胡同 (Beijing alleys) or 里弄 (Shanghai lanes).

noun
alleylane
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 巷子，。
    Zhè tiáo xiàng zi hěn shēn, liǎng biān dōu shì lǎo fáng zi.
    This alley is very deep, with old houses on both sides.
  • 巷子。
    Chuān guò nà tiáo xiàng zi jiù shì shì chǎng.
    Go through that lane and you'll reach the market.
  • 。
    Tā men jiā zhù zài yì tiáo ān jìng de xiǎo xiàng zi lǐ.
    Their home is in a quiet little lane.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

巷xiànglane
子zǐsuffix

巷 names a lane, and 子 gives the familiar spoken form.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
己己jǐoneself
Sound part声符shēngfú
共
共gòng巷hàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

巷 is made from 共, read gòng, and 己, meaning 'oneself'.

Open 巷 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
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