HSK 3, n, 12 strokes, radical 行, rank #956, Medium
街
jiē
street, road, thoroughfare
HSK 3, n, 12 strokes, radical 行, rank #956, Medium
jiē(jie1)jie T1
1street
2street, road, thoroughfare
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March 24, 2026
街jiē(jie1)
The character 街 (jiē) refers to a street or road, typically a thoroughfare in urban areas. It is commonly used to describe public pathways where vehicles and pedestrians travel, and it can also refer to the surrounding commercial areas. In everyday conversation, it is often used when discussing locations or giving directions.
Strokes12Radical行Frequency#956DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, streets often serve as social hubs where markets, restaurants, and community events take place. The concept of 街 is integral to understanding urban life in China, where street vendors and local businesses thrive.
Memory Tip
To remember 街, think of a busy street (街) where 'jiē' sounds like 'jay' in 'jaywalking.' Imagine a scene of people crossing the street carelessly, and the character itself can be visualized as a 'road' with sides (the radicals) marking where pedestrians and cars operate.
Meanings of 街
jiē(jie1)
1street
2street, road, thoroughfare
Exercise 1 of 3
By ear
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About 街
街Simplified
12Strokes
行Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#956Frequency Rank
条Measure Word
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 街
Podcast: 街
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AI Study Notes for 街
Quick Contrast
巷 (xiàng): use 街 (jiē) for wider thoroughfares, while 巷 (xiàng) refers to narrower lanes or alleys.
Usage Notes
A common mistake is confusing 街 with other similar terms like 路 (lù), which means road in a more general sense. 街 is more specific to urban streets and is often used in both formal and informal contexts. Pay attention to the tone; mispronouncing it can change the meaning entirely.
HSK Study Tips
Although 街 is not specifically listed in HSK vocabulary, it's useful for learners at HSK 2 and 3 levels as it relates to directions and locations. Students should focus on combining it with other related terms like 路 (road) and 小道 (path) to enhance their spatial vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 街 with 街道 (jiēdào), which means street but with a more formal or administrative connotation. For example, saying '我去街' (Wǒ qù jiē) is incorrect; it should be '我去街道' (Wǒ qù jiēdào) if referring to a specific street or area.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 街
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Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
街 = 行 + 圭. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 街
IDS Structure⿻行圭
街Full Character
=
行hang2
outer
圭gui1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 街?
How to say street in Chinese
“street” in Chinese is街jiē
The character 街 (jiē) refers to a street or road, typically a thoroughfare in urban areas. It is commonly used to describe public pathways where vehicles and pedestrians travel, and it can also refer to the surrounding commercial areas. In everyday conversation, it is often used when discussing locations or giving directions.
When to use 街
A common mistake is confusing 街 with other similar terms like 路 (lù), which means road in a more general sense. 街 is more specific to urban streets and is often used in both formal and informal contexts. Pay attention to the tone; mispronouncing it can change the meaning entirely.
街 or something close to it
巷 (xiàng): use 街 (jiē) for wider thoroughfares, while 巷 (xiàng) refers to narrower lanes or alleys.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 街 with 街道 (jiēdào), which means street but with a more formal or administrative connotation. For example, saying '我去街' (Wǒ qù jiē) is incorrect; it should be '我去街道' (Wǒ qù jiēdào) if referring to a specific street or area.
Write 街
街
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Grammar Patterns of 街
街 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Every afternoon, there are many people walking on the street.
13
学校就在这条街的尽头。
Xuéxiào jiù zài zhè tiáo jiē de jìntóu.
The school is at the end of this street.
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Cultural Notes for 街
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, streets often serve as social hubs where people gather, shop, and eat. Many famous street foods originate from local street vendors found in bustling city streets.
Word Family of 街
Words Containing This Character20
街jiēstreet
大街dàjiēstreet
街上in town
街道jiēdàostreet
街头jiētóustreet街頭
街区block (between streets)街區
逛街to take a walk
上街to go shopping
华尔街Wall Street, New York華爾街
步行街car-free zone
街道办事处subdistrict office街道辦事處
大街小巷dàjiēxiǎoxiànggreat streets and small alleys (idiom); everywhere in the city
街坊neighborhood
唐人街Chinatown
街舞street dance (e.g. breakdance)
老街Lao Cai, Vietnam
临街línjiēfacing the street臨街
华尔街日报Wall Street Journal華爾街日報
当街facing the street當街
唐宁街Downing Street (London)唐寧街
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 街
What does 大街 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 街
街 (jiē) specifically refers to a street, often in a city or town, while 道 (dào) can refer to roads or paths more generally. 街 is typically used for urban settings, whereas 道 can apply to rural paths or highways as well.
街 is pronounced as 'jiē' in Mandarin. The pronunciation has a high-level tone, which is the first tone in Mandarin Chinese.
街 (jiē) means 'street' in Chinese. It is commonly used when referring to a road or thoroughfare in urban areas. The character is often seen in place names and addresses.
You can use 街 (jiē) in a sentence to describe a location, such as '我住在这条街上' (Wǒ zhù zài zhè tiáo jiē shàng), which means 'I live on this street.' It can also be used in expressions like '街道' (jiēdào), meaning 'street' or 'road.'
You can say '我住在这条街上' (Wǒ zhù zài zhè tiáo jiē shàng), meaning 'I live on this street.'
The measure word for 街 is 条 (tiáo), so you would say '一条街' (yī tiáo jiē) for 'a street.'
No, 街 specifically refers to urban streets; for rural paths, use 路 (lù) instead.
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