弄
nòng
In Chinese, the phrase for alley is 弄 (nòng). Wiktionary also lists 里弄 (lǐlòng) and 衚衕 / 胡同 (hútòng).
Meaning: narrow street (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 弄 | nòng |
| 里弄 | lǐlòng |
| 衚衕 / 胡同 | hútòng |
| 巷子 | xiàngzi |
The term refers to a narrow street.
Which one should you use?
The terms 弄 and 胡同 are highly regional, whereas 巷子 is a more general, standard term for an alley that can be used anywhere in the Chinese-speaking world.
Is it said differently in some regions?
弄 is characteristic of the Shanghai area and the Wu Chinese dialect, often describing the narrow lanes found in traditional residential neighborhoods. In the Northern dialect, specifically in Beijing, the word 胡同 is used to describe the narrow alleys characteristic of the old city.
How does it change in a sentence?
In many contexts, particularly in Shanghai, the word 弄 is often expanded to 弄堂 to more naturally refer to the alleyway itself.
How do you pronounce it?
nòng
Did you know?
- The word for alley in Beijing, 胡同, might actually be a loanword from the Mongolian word for 'water well', suggesting these narrow streets were originally defined by where wells were located.
Examples in context
- 我家後面有條弄堂。There is an alley behind my house.This sentence is useful for describing the location of an alley using 弄.Tatoeba #9176171 by xjjAstrus, translation #11552083 by weihaiping
- 往北拐弯走到第二条弄堂就是。Turn north, walk to the second alley, and you're there.This sentence is useful for giving directions involving an alley using 弄.Tatoeba #391120 by sysko, translation #12627168 by weihaiping
- 我喜欢在弄堂里漫步。I enjoy taking a stroll in the alley.
- 这家饭店位于一条狭窄的巷子里。This restaurant is located in a narrow alley.
- 这是一个很有意思的小巷子。This is a very interesting alley.
- 我们在胡同里吃了晚饭。We had dinner in the traditional alley.
Example conversation
Two friends are walking through an old neighborhood.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我们要走这条弄吗？Wǒmen yào zǒu zhè tiáo nòng ma?Are we going through this alley?
- 伟 Wei对，走这条弄比较快。Duì, zǒu zhè tiáo nòng bǐjiào kuài.Yes, taking this alley is faster.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen可是这条弄看起来有点暗。Kěshì zhè tiáo nòng kàn qǐlái yǒudiǎn àn.But this alley looks a bit dark.
- 伟 Wei别担心，很快就到路口了。Bié dānxīn, hěn kuài jiù dào lùkǒu le.Don't worry, we will reach the intersection soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “alley” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 弄, 衚衕, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
