Chinese word

窄

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhǎi

Meaning

  • adjectivenarrow

Example

这条路窄，两辆车并排过不去。zhè tiáo lù zhǎi liǎng liàng chē bìng pái guò bú qù

This road is narrow, so two cars cannot pass side by side.

Illustration for 窄 (narrow)

More examples

这条走廊太窄，两个人不能并排走。zhè tiáo zǒu láng tài zhǎi liǎng gè rén bù néng bìng pái zǒu

This hallway is too narrow for two people to walk side by side.

Core concept

A space or fit with too little side-to-side room for things or people to pass, sit, or move comfortably.

Common phrases

  • 窄通道zhǎi tōng dào

    narrow passageway

  • 裤子窄kù zi zhǎi

    tight pants

  • 衣服窄yī fú zhǎi

    tight clothes

Similar words

狭窄xiá zhǎi: So narrow and cramped that passing through or working there becomes difficult.
狭小xiá xiǎo: Small and lacking enough space for comfortable or practical use.
狭隘xiá ài: Showing a limited mind that has difficulty accepting different ideas.

Definition in Chinese

宽度不足以让两物并排或人顺利通过，常用于道路、门窗、衣物等，也可比喻想法或机会受限。kuān dù bù zú yǐ ràng liǎng wù bìng pái huò rén shùn lì tōng guò cháng yòng yú dào lù mén chuāng yī wù děng yě kě bǐ yù xiáng fǎ huò jī huì shòu xiàn

Word origin

窄 (zhǎi, "narrow") combines 穴 (xué, "cave") + 乍 (zhà, "suddenly"), using a confined space to suggest the meaning while 乍 supplies the sound.

Usage tips

  • This word describes width, not total size: a spacious room may have a tight doorway, and a garment may restrict movement across the body even if its length is right.

Other meanings

  • crampedadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 窄小zhái xiǎocrampedadjective

Word lists with this word