巷 (xiàng) — lane, alley | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

巷 is a narrow lane or alley in a town, especially in southern China. Compare 胡同 (Beijing's historic lanes) and 过道 (an indoor passageway or corridor).

noun

lanealley

Measure word · 条

Easily confused

巷。
Zhè tiáo xiàng tōng xiàng shì chǎng.
This alley leads to the market.
。
Tā jiā de hòu mén kāi zài yì tiáo xiǎo xiàng lǐ.
The back door of his house opens onto a small alley.
。
Lǎo chéng qū yǒu hěn duō xiá zhǎi de xiàng zi.
There are many narrow alleys in the old city.

Sound + meaning

六书liùshū

形声xíngshēng

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

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'.

Appears in