胡同 hútòng lane
lane; alley
How to remember 胡同: 胡 recklessly + 同 same = lane.
Characters
How it is used
- A traditional narrow alley, iconically Beijing - 北京的胡同 (Běijīng de hútòng) Beijing's hutongs; measure word 条.
- Culturally specific: evokes old courtyard-house neighborhoods, not just any street (街 jiē) or road (路 lù).
- Note colloquial reading hútòng (tone shift from listed hú tòng).
Example sentences
- 这是个死胡同。 Zhè shì gè sǐhútòng.It's a dead end.