路地

• 読み: ろじ
• ローマ字: roji
• 漢字の分解: 路 (ro) — road, path; 地 (ji) — ground, place
• 発音: /ɾo.d͡ʑi/

意味

Alley; alleyway; lane. A narrow passage between buildings, often in older neighbourhoods.

A noun for the narrow side streets found throughout Japanese cities and towns. 路地裏 (back alley) is a common extension. These spaces carry cultural significance — they represent the hidden, intimate side of Japanese urban life, often home to small izakayas, family-run shops, and residential pockets away from main roads.

例文

1. 路地裏に隠れた名店を見つけるのが好きだ。
2. 古い町並みの路地を散歩するのは楽しい。
3. 細い路地を抜けるとにぎやかな商店街に出た。

使い方ガイド

場面: urban life, exploration, food culture, architecture

トーン: neutral

起源と歴史

From Sino-Japanese 路 (ro, road/path) + 地 (ji/chi, ground/place). Literally 'road-place,' denoting a small pathway. In Edo-period cities, 路地 referred to narrow passages between row houses (長屋), a usage that persists today.

文化的背景

時代: Edo period

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal