街

街	U+8857, 街 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8857

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

街 (Kangxi radical 144, 行+6, 12 strokes, cangjie input 竹人土土弓 (HOGGN), four-corner 2110₄, composition ⿴行圭 or ⿲彳圭亍)

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 1109, character 17
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 34051
Dae Jaweon: page 1573, character 18
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 831, character 16
Unihan data for U+8857

Chinese

simp. and trad.		街
2nd round simp.		亍

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (圭) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
街	kreː, kreː
鞋	ɡreː, ɡreː, *ɡreː
娾	ŋreː, ŋreːʔ
佳	*kreː
鮭	ɡreː, kʷeː, *kʰʷeː
涯	ŋreː, ŋre
崖	ŋreː, ŋre
啀	*ŋreː
厓	*ŋreː
捱	*ŋreː
睚	*ŋreːs
娃	*qreː
洼	qreː, qʷraː, *kʷeː
哇	qreː, qʷraː
胿	ɡeː, kʷeː
溎	*qeːns
觟	*ɡʷraːʔ
黊	ɡʷraːʔ, ɡʷreːs, *ɡʷeː
蘳	ɡʷraːʔ, qʰʷe
蛙	qʷraː, qʷreː
窪	*qʷraː
卦	*kʷreːs
挂	*kʷreːs
掛	*kʷreːs
詿	kʷreːs, ɡʷreːs
罣	kʷreːs, ɡʷreːs, *kʷeːs
絓	kʰʷreː, ɡʷreːs
鼃	ɢʷreː, qʷreː
圭	*kʷeː
珪	*kʷeː
邽	*kʷeː
閨	*kʷeː
袿	*kʷeː
窐	kʷeː, ɡʷeː
茥	kʷeː, kʰʷeː
桂	*kʷeːs
筀	*kʷeːs
奎	*kʰʷeː
刲	*kʰʷeː
蝰	*kʰʷeː
楏	*kʰʷeː
睳	*qʰʷeː
畦	*ɡʷeː
眭	ɡʷeː, sqʰʷe, qʰʷe, qʰʷi
烓	qʷeː, kʰʷeːŋʔ
跬	*kʰʷeʔ
恚	*qʷes
硅	*qʰʷreɡ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kreː, *kreː) : semantic 行 + phonetic 圭 (OC *kʷeː).

Originally, the phonetic component is not related to the concept of earth (土) since in its original form it represents a pair of ritual axes perhaps made of jade 士. Hence, the link to the concept of earth in this character and 厓 either comes from folk etymology or its appearence in the Small Seal script.

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r/g-wa (“village”) (STEDT); see 里 (OC *rɯʔ, “village”) for more.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): jiē (jie¹)

(Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄝ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): gai¹

(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): гэ (ge, I)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): gaai¹

(Taishan, Wiktionary): gai⁴
Gan (Wiktionary): gai¹
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): kiê / kiâi

(Meixian, Guangdong): gê¹
Jin (Wiktionary): jie¹
Northern Min (KCR): gái
Eastern Min (BUC): gă̤
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): koe / ke / kere / kai

(Teochew, Peng'im): goi¹
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹ka
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): gai¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: jiē
  - Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄝ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: jie
  - Wade–Giles: chieh¹
  - Yale: jyē
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jie
  - Palladius: цзе (cze)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: gai¹
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: gai
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kai⁵⁵/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: гэ (ge, I)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɛ²⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: gaai¹
  - Yale: gāai
  - Cantonese Pinyin: gaai¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: gai¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaːi̯⁵⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: gai⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kai²¹/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: gai¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kai⁴²/
Hakka
- (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kiê
  - Hakka Romanization System: gie^ˊ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: gie¹
  - Sinological IPA: /ki̯e²⁴/
- (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kiâi
  - Hakka Romanization System: giai^ˊ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: giai¹
  - Sinological IPA: /ki̯ai̯²⁴/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: gê¹
  - Sinological IPA: /ke⁴⁴/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: jie¹
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡ɕie¹¹/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: gái
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kai⁵⁴/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: gă̤
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɛ⁵⁵/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Yongchun, Changtai, Taipei, Lukang, Kinmen, Magong, Hsinchu, Singapore, Klang)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: koe
  - Tâi-lô: kue
  - Phofsit Daibuun: koef
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Lukang, Klang): /kue³³/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Yongchun, Changtai, Taipei, Kinmen, Singapore): /kue⁴⁴/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Zhangpu, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Yilan, Penang)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ke
  - Tâi-lô: ke
  - Phofsit Daibuun: kef
  - IPA (Penang): /ke³³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Yilan): /ke⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangpu): /kiei⁵⁵/
- (Hokkien: Sanxia)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kere
  - Tâi-lô: kere
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Hui'an, Yongchun)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kai
  - Tâi-lô: kai
  - Phofsit Daibuun: kay
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Yongchun): /kai⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Hui'an): /kai³³/

Note:

koe/ke/kere - vernacular;
kai - literary.

(Teochew)
- Peng'im: goi¹
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: koi
- Sinological IPA ^(key): /koi³³/

Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ¹ka
  - MiniDict: ka^平
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹ka
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ka⁵³/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: gai¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kai̯³³/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 街
Mandarin	Beijing	/t͡ɕiɛ⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/kai⁴⁴/ /t͡ɕiɛ⁴⁴/
	Tianjin	/t͡ɕie²¹/ /kai²¹/ 老
	Jinan	/t͡ɕiɛ²¹³/
	Qingdao	/t͡ɕiɛ²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/t͡ɕiɛ²⁴/
	Xi'an	/t͡ɕiɛ²¹/
	Xining	/kɛ⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/kɛ⁴⁴/ /t͡ɕie⁴⁴/
	Lanzhou	/kɛ³¹/
	Ürümqi	/kai⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/kai⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/kai⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/kai⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/kæ⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/t͡ɕiɛ³¹/
	Hefei	/t͡ɕie̞²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/t͡ɕie¹¹/
	Pingyao	/t͡ɕie̞¹³/
	Hohhot	/t͡ɕie³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/ka⁵³/
	Suzhou	/kɑ⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/t͡ɕie̞³³/
	Wenzhou	/ka³³/
Hui	Shexian	/ka³¹/
Hui	Tunxi	/ka¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/kai³³/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/kai⁵⁵/
Gan	Nanchang	/kai⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/ke⁴⁴/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/ke²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/kai⁵⁵/
	Nanning	/kai⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/kai⁵⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/kai⁵⁵/ /kue⁵⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/kɛ⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/kai⁵⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/koi³³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/kɔi²³/

Middle Chinese: kea, keaj

Rime
Character	街	街
Reading #	1/2	2/2
Initial (聲)	見 (28)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	佳 (31)	皆 (33)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open
Division (等)	II	II
Fanqie	古膎切	古諧切
Baxter	kea	keaj
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kˠɛ/	/kˠɛi/
Pan Wuyun	/kᵚæ/	/kᵚæi/
Shao Rongfen	/kæi/	/kɐi/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kaɨj/	/kəɨj/
Li Rong	/kɛ/	/kɛi/
Wang Li	/kai/	/kɐi/
Bernhard Karlgren	/kai/	/kăi/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	jiā	jiē
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gaai¹	gaai¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*[k]ˤre/

(Zhengzhang): /*kreː/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	街
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	jiē
Middle Chinese	‹ kɛ ›
Old Chinese	/*[k]ˁre/
English	road-crossing
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	街	街
Reading #	1/2	2/2
No.	4527	4532
Phonetic component	圭	圭
Rime group	支	支
Rime subdivision	0	0
Corresponding MC rime	皆	佳
Old Chinese	/*kreː/	/*kreː/
Notes	本音佳

Definitions

街

(countable) street (Classifier: 條／条 m c)
街景 ― jiējǐng ― street scene

地下街 ― dìxiàjiē ― underground street

行落兩條街大把嘢食。 [Cantonese, trad.]
行落两条街大把嘢食。 [Cantonese, simp.]
haang⁴ lok⁶ loeng⁵ tiu⁴ gaai¹ daai⁶ baa² je⁵ sik⁶. [Jyutping]
If you walk two blocks down the street, there will be a lot to eat.
market; fair
Short for 街道 (jiēdào, “subdistrict”).
新港街 ― Xīngǎng Jiē ― Xingang Subdistrict
(Hong Kong Cantonese, figuratively) distance; margin (Classifier: 條／条 c)
贏九條街／赢九条街 [Cantonese] ― jeng⁴ gau² tiu⁴ gaai¹ [Jyutping] ― to win by a large margin (literally, “to win with a distance of nine street blocks”)
(Hong Kong Cantonese) outside; the public
街外人 [Cantonese] ― gaai¹ ngoi⁶ jan⁴ [Jyutping] ― outsider

街症 [Cantonese] ― gaai¹ zing³ [Jyutping] ― outpatient clinic
a surname

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 街 (“street”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		街, 街道
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	街
	Taiwan	街
	Malaysia	街
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	街
Central Plains Mandarin	Xi'an	街, 街道
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	街, 街道
	Wuhan	街, 街道
	Guilin	街
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	街
Jianghuai Mandarin	Hefei	街
Cantonese	Guangzhou	街
	Hong Kong	街
	Macau	街
	Yangjiang	街, 街巷
Gan	Nanchang	街
Hakka	Meixian	街, 街路
Hakka	Kuching (Hepo)	街
Jin	Taiyuan	街
Northern Min	Jian'ou	街墿
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	街
Southern Min	Xiamen	街路
	Quanzhou	街路
	Zhangzhou	街路
	Tainan	街路, 街仔路, 街仔
	Manila (Hokkien)	街路
	Chaozhou	街路
	Shantou	街路
	Jieyang	街路
Wu	Shanghai	街, 街路
	Suzhou	街
	Wenzhou	街路, 街
Xiang	Changsha	街
Xiang	Shuangfeng	街

Compounds

Descendants

→ Bouyei: gaail
→ White Hmong: kev
→ Zhuang: gai

References

“Entry #9010”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.
“街”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Kanji

街

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

main street or boulevard

Readings

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) まち [màchíꜜ] (Odaka – [2])
IPA^(key): [ma̠t͡ɕi]

Noun

街(まち) • (machi)

Alternative spelling of 町

Derived terms

街(まち)明(あ)かり (machiakari), 街(まち)明(あか)り (machiakari)

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 街 (MC kea|keaj). Recorded as Middle Korean 개 (kay) (Yale: kay) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Pronunciation

(street; road):
- (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ka̠]
- Phonetic hangul: [가]
(in 街道 and 街頭):
- (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ka̠(ː)]
- Phonetic hangul: [가(ː)]
  - Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

街

Wikisource

街 (eumhun 거리 가 (geori ga))

hanja form^? of 가 (“street; road”)

Compounds

가로 (街路, garo)
상가 (商街, sangga)
가도 (街道, gado)
가설 (街說, gaseol)
가각 (街角, gagak)
가두 (街頭, gadu)
시가 (市街, siga)
가판 (街販, gapan)
가상 (街上, gasang)
가곽 (街廓, gagwak)
가업 (街業, ga'eop)
사가 (四街, saga)
가촌 (街村, gachon)
가항 (街巷, gahang)
가등 (街燈, gadeung)
사가 (死街, saga)
어가 (御街, eoga)
항가 (港街, hangga)

References

국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [2]

Vietnamese

Han character

街: Hán Nôm readings: nhai

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