Chinese word

岔路

Pronunciation

Pinyinchà lù

Meaning

  • nounfork in the road

Example

前面有一个岔路，我们往右走吧。qián miàn yǒu yí gè chà lù wǒ men wǎng yòu zǒu ba

There's a fork in the road ahead. Let's go right.

Illustration for 岔路 (fork in the road)

More examples

我们在岔路口犹豫，不知道该往哪边走。wǒ men zài chà lù kǒu yóu yù bù zhī dào gāi wǎng nǎ biān zǒu

We hesitated at the fork in the road, not knowing which way to go.

Core concept

A route's branching point, where the main way opens toward another direction and can suggest a choice in a wider course.

Common phrases

  • 在岔路口zài chà lù kǒu

    at the fork in the road

  • 走到岔路口zǒu dào chà lù kǒu

    reach the fork in the road

  • 左边的岔路zuǒ biān de chà lù

    the fork on the left

Similar words

叉路chā lù: A point where one road forks into two branches.
岔道chà dào: A smaller road that splits away from the main route.
支路zhī lù: A secondary road that branches from a major road.
路口lù kǒu: A road entrance or intersection where roads meet or split.

Definition in Chinese

路上发生分叉的地点或口，既可指实际的路段分岔，也可泛指人生或事物发展中的选择点。lù shàng fā shēng fēn chà de dì diǎn huò kǒu jì kě zhǐ shí jì de lù duàn fēn chà yě kě fàn zhǐ rén shēng huò shì wù fā zhǎn zhōng de xuǎn zé diǎn

Word origin

The compound joins 岔 (chà, "fork") with 路 (lù, "road"), turning the concrete idea of a branching road into a name for any course that divides.

Usage tips

  • English often describes the same scene with a verb such as "the road forks," while this Chinese noun packages the split as a place, making it natural after a location phrase.

Other meanings

  • side roadnoun
  • junctionnoun

Opposites

  • 主路zhǔ lùmain roadnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word