街道

• Pinyin: jiē dào
• Hanzi breakdown: 街 = 行 (walk) + 圭 (phonetic) — a street to walk on; 道 = 辶 (walk) + 首 (head) — a road or way

Meaning

Street; neighbourhood. A road in a town or city, also an administrative unit in urban China.

Refers to a street or road in a town or city. Also used as an administrative unit in China, similar to a sub-district within urban areas. Common collocations include 街道办事处 (sub-district office), 大街道 (main street), and 街道两旁 (both sides of the street). In daily use, interchangeable with 街 for referring to a road.

Examples

1. 这条街道两边种了很多树，走起来很舒服。 This street has many trees planted on both sides, making it very pleasant to walk along.
2. 周末的时候街道上到处都是人。 On weekends, the streets are full of people everywhere.
3. 街道办事处负责管理社区的日常事务。 The sub-district office is responsible for managing the daily affairs of the community.

Usage Guide

Context: directions, urban life, administration

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这条街道很干净。(This street is very clean.)
• 他在街道办工作。(He works at the sub-district office.)

Don't Say

• 我住在一个街道里 (Don't say you live 'inside' a street — say 我住在这条街道上 for living on a street, or use 小区/社区 for a residential area)

Origin & History

A compound of 街 (street/avenue) and 道 (road/way), together referring to a thoroughfare or urban road.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal