大街

• Pinyin: dà jiē
• Hanzi breakdown: 大 = person with spread arms (big); 街 = 行 (go) + 圭 (jade tablet, phonetic)

Meaning

Main street; avenue. A major street in a city or town.

Refers to the main or busy streets in urban areas, as opposed to smaller alleys (小巷). Often used in the expression 大街小巷 (everywhere in the city). A common and colloquial term for describing urban thoroughfares.

Examples

1. 周末大街上人山人海，到处都是购物的人。 The main streets are packed with people on weekends — shoppers everywhere.
2. 这个消息传遍了大街小巷，几乎人人都知道。 This news has spread throughout the streets and alleys — almost everyone knows.
3. 他喜欢在大街上闲逛，看看热闹。 He likes to wander around the main streets and watch the hustle and bustle.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, urban

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 走在大街上感觉很放松。(Walking on the main street feels very relaxing.)
• 大街小巷都贴满了广告。(Ads are plastered all over the streets and alleys.)

Don't Say

• 大街比较口语化，正式地址中用'路'或'街'，如'南京路' (大街 is colloquial — formal addresses use 路 or 街, like 'Nanjing Road')

Origin & History

From 大 (big/main) and 街 (street). Describes the principal streets where commerce and activity concentrate.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal