HSK · Level 101
45 words
Chinese word
大街小巷
Pronunciation
Pinyindà jiē xiǎo xiàng
Meaning
- idiomall over town
Example
雨后，大街小巷都是积水。yǔ hòu dà jiē xiǎo xiàng dōu shì jī shuǐ
After the rain, there was standing water all over town.
More examples
夏夜，音乐从大街小巷传来。xià yè yīn yuè cóng dà jiē xiǎo xiàng chuán lái
On a summer night, music came from every street and alley.
Core concept
A situation spreads from the city's main roads into its smallest lanes, leaving no part of town outside it.
Common phrases
遍布大街小巷biàn bù dà jiē xiǎo xiàng
spread throughout the streets and alleys
响彻大街小巷xiǎng chè dà jiē xiǎo xiàng
echo through every street and alley
走遍大街小巷zǒu biàn dà jiē xiǎo xiàng
walk through every street and alley
Similar words
街头巷尾jiē tóu xiàng wěi: Present in every street and alley of a town, including its farthest corners.
无处不在wú chǔ bú zài: Present everywhere, with no particular place excluded.
遍地开花biàn dì kāi huā: Spreading to many places and appearing in each one, like flowers blooming across a field.
Definition in Chinese
用来形容活动、现象或事物遍布城市各条街道和小巷，强调范围从主要道路延伸到细小巷道。yòng lái xíng róng huó dòng xiàn xiàng huò shì wù biàn bù chéng shì gè tiáo jiē dào hé xiǎo xiàng qiáng diào fàn wéi cóng zhǔ yào dào lù yán shēn dào xì xiǎo hàng dào
Word origin
大街 (dàjiē, "main street") + 小巷 (xiǎoxiàng, "small lane") pairs broad and narrow urban roads to express coverage throughout a town.
Usage tips
- The expression works in both conversation and ordinary reporting, giving a compact way to frame a situation as widespread across a town.
Other meanings
- in every street and alleyidiom
- all along the streetsidiom
Opposites
- 荒郊野外huāng jiāo yě wàithe desolate countrysideidiom