串门

• Pinyin: chuàn mén
• Hanzi breakdown: 串 = two objects strung together = to string, pass through; 门 = pictograph of a door

Meaning

To visit neighbors or friends casually; to drop by. Informal social visiting without prior arrangement.

A colloquial expression for casual, unplanned visits to neighbors or friends. 串门儿 (with 儿化) is common in northern dialects. Reflects traditional Chinese community life where neighbors would drop by frequently.

Examples

1. 小时候邻居们经常互相串门聊天。 When I was little, neighbors often visited each other to chat.
2. 她没事就喜欢到邻居家串门。 When she has nothing to do, she likes to drop by the neighbors' place.
3. 现在住高层公寓，邻里之间很少串门了。 Now that we live in high-rise apartments, neighbors rarely visit each other anymore.

Usage Guide

Context: community, social, everyday

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 有空来我家串门啊。(Come visit my place when you have time.)
• 过年的时候大家都忙着串门拜年。(During Chinese New Year, everyone is busy visiting each other.)

Don't Say

• 我去公司串门 (串门 is for informal home visits — for visiting an office, use 去公司 or 拜访)

Origin & History

Compound of 串 (to string together, to pass through) and 门 (door). Literally 'passing through doors' — going from one home to another.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal