报亭

• Pinyin: bào tíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 报 = 扌 (hand) + 卩 (kneeling person) phonetic; 亭 = 亠 (lid) + 口 + 冖 + 丁 (phonetic)

Meaning

Newsstand; newspaper kiosk. A small retail structure selling newspapers and magazines.

Small roadside kiosks that sell newspapers, magazines, and often other convenience items like drinks, cigarettes, and phone cards. Once ubiquitous in Chinese cities, they have declined with the rise of digital media but remain cultural landmarks in many areas.

Examples

1. 街角那个报亭已经开了三十多年了，老板跟整条街的人都熟。 That newsstand on the corner has been there for over thirty years — the owner knows everyone on the street.
2. 现在路边的报亭越来越少了，年轻人都在手机上看新闻。 Roadside newsstands are becoming rarer now; young people read news on their phones.
3. 小时候我每天放学都会在报亭买一本漫画杂志。 When I was a kid, I'd buy a comic magazine from the newsstand every day after school.

Usage Guide

Context: urban life, everyday

Tone: nostalgic

Do Say

• 报亭老板，来份晚报。(Kiosk owner, give me an evening paper.)
• 那个报亭还卖冰棍呢。(That newsstand also sells popsicles.)

Don't Say

• 把书店叫'报亭' (Don't call a bookstore 报亭 — 报亭 refers specifically to small street kiosks)

Origin & History

报 (newspaper) + 亭 (kiosk/pavilion). A small structure for selling newspapers.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal