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里弄 (lǐ lòng) — lane; alley; neighborhood (in traditional Shanghai-style residential areas)

Definition

A traditional Shanghai term for the narrow lanes and surrounding neighborhoods of old residential districts — more local and culturally specific than a plain 胡同 or 小巷.

noun
lanealleyneighborhood (in traditional Shanghai-style residential areas)
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 里弄，。
    Zhè tiáo lǐ lòng hěn ān jìng, shì hé sàn bù.
    This lane is very quiet and suitable for a stroll.
  • 里弄，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù zhù zài lǐ lòng lǐ, duì zhè lǐ hěn shú xi.
    He has lived in this alley since he was a child, so he knows it very well.
  • 里弄。
    Zhè tiáo lǐ lòng de jìn tóu yǒu yì jiā lǎo chá guǎn.
    At the end of this lane there is an old teahouse.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

里lǐneighborhood
弄nònglane

里 (neighborhood) and 弄 (lane) together name the lanes of a residential district.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 裡; 里 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 里 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (里, 里面) it is 裡; in others (公里) it is 里 or 裏.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ裡lǐ
Same sound today

The form 裡 pairs 衤 (clothes) with 里 as a sound component.

Open 里 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The form 弄 combines 玉 (jade) with 廾 (hands), showing hands touching or handling jade.

Open 弄 →
Appears in
City & Urban

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