路地
roji[ɾo̞ʑi]
In Japanese, the English phrase "alley" can be translated as 路地 (roji) or 裏通り (uradōri).
Meaning: narrow street (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 路地 | roji | [ɾo̞ʑi] (narrow) |
| 裏通り | uradōri | [ɯ̟ɾa̠do̞ːɾʲi] (narrow) |
Both terms refer to narrow streets, but they describe different settings. You may also encounter the compound word 路地裏 (rojīra), which is commonly used to describe the area or the 'back' of an alleyway.
Which one should you use?
While both mean a narrow street, 路地 (roji) typically refers to a very narrow, often pedestrian-only passage, whereas 裏通り (uradōri) refers more generally to a street located behind a main thoroughfare.
How do you pronounce it?
roji
Did you know?
- In traditional tea ceremony gardens, a 路地 (roji) is not a street but a carefully designed path leading to the tea house. This path is meant to symbolize the transition from the noisy world to a spiritual space.
- The word 裏 (ura) in 裏通り (uradōri) literally means 'back' or 'reverse'. In Japanese culture, the 'ura' often represents the private, true self, while the 'omote' or front represents the public face.
- Some ancient 路地 (roji) in Kyoto are so narrow that two people cannot walk side-by-side. This architectural layout was historically used to slow down intruders and create defensive bottlenecks.
Examples in context
- この路地は通り抜けできません。This is a dead-end alley.This sentence is useful for describing a dead-end alley using 路地.Tatoeba #222992 by small_snow, translation #60323 by CK
- 町の地図で、キミノシ町の路地を探しています。I am looking for the alley in Kiminoshi town on the map.
- この路地には猫がいます。kono roji ni wa neko ga imasu.There is a cat in this alley.
- 暗い路地は歩きたくないです。kurai roji wa arukitaku nai desu.I don't want to walk through a dark alley.
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are walking through a neighborhood in the evening.
- 蓮 Renこの路地を通って帰りましょう。kono roji o tootte kaerimashou.Let's take this alley to go home.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮君、ここは少し狭いね。ren-kun, koko wa sukoshi semai ne.Ren, this is a bit narrow.
- 蓮 Ren大丈夫だよ、近道だから。daijoubu da yo, chikamichi dakara.It's okay, it's a shortcut.
- 美咲 Misakiでも、少し怖いよ。demo, sukoshi kowai yo.But, it's a little scary.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “alley” translations and entries 路地, 裏通り, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
