Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== jiēdào: 街道 - Street, Avenue; Sub-district ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** 街道, jiedao, Chinese for street, what is a street in Chinese, Chinese address, subdistrict in China, 街道办事处, jiedao banshichu, lu vs jiedao, road in Chinese, Chinese government, neighborhood committee. * **Summary:** The Chinese word **街道 (jiēdào)** means "street," but it's much more than just a physical road. While it refers to the bustling streets of a city, it also signifies a crucial level of local government administration known as a "sub-district." Understanding **街道** is key to deciphering Chinese addresses and grasping how urban society is organized at the grassroots level, making it an essential term for anyone living in or studying China. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jiēdào * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 3 * **Concise Definition:** A public road in a city or town; an administrative division of a city district, also known as a sub-district. * **In a Nutshell:** Think of **街道 (jiēdào)** in two layers. The first layer is what you see: a physical street, often lined with shops, apartments, and people. It’s where daily life happens. The second layer is administrative and invisible: it's a "sub-district," a government-defined neighborhood. Every urban resident in China belongs to a specific **街道**, which has its own local office managing community affairs. So, **街道** is both a place and a unit of social organization. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **街 (jiē):** This character means "street." The left side, `行 (xíng)`, is a radical that depicts an intersection or crossroads, suggesting a place for walking and movement. The right side, `圭 (guī)`, was originally a phonetic component. Together, they form the idea of a main public thoroughfare. * **道 (dào):** This character means "way," "path," or "road." It's a pictograph of a head (`首`) on a path (`辶`), symbolizing a path to be followed. It can be a physical road or a philosophical path, as in Taoism (道教, Dàojiào). * When combined, **街道 (jiēdào)** literally means "street-way." The two characters reinforce each other to describe a major, established path within a city or town, distinct from a smaller lane or country road. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== The most significant cultural aspect of **街道 (jiēdào)** is its dual meaning, which has no direct equivalent in most Western cultures. While an American might live on "Main Street," "Main Street" is just a location. In China, your `街道` is a fundamental part of your identity within the state's administrative system. **街道 (jiēdào) as an Administrative Unit:** In urban China, the administrative hierarchy is typically: City (市) → District (区) → **Sub-district (街道)** → Community (社区). The **街道** is the lowest level of formal government power that directly interacts with citizens. Each `街道` has a **街道办事处 (jiēdào bànshìchù)**, or "Sub-district Office." This office is the face of the government for everyday people and is responsible for: * Registering residents and managing the `hukou` (household registration system). * Community sanitation and maintenance. * Organizing local public security patrols. * Mediating disputes between neighbors. * Promoting government campaigns and policies. * Providing services for the elderly and unemployed. This contrasts sharply with a Western "neighborhood," which is usually a social or geographical concept with little to no formal administrative power. The `街道` system reflects a more collectivist, top-down approach to social organization, where the government is deeply integrated into the fabric of community life. Understanding this helps explain the structure of urban society in China. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== You will encounter **街道 (jiēdào)** in two primary contexts: describing a physical place and dealing with official administration. * **In Addresses:** While a specific road name will often use `路 (lù)` or `街 (jiē)`, the `街道` is the administrative area that contains that road. A full address might look like: `北京市东城区东华门**街道**王府井大街...` (Beijing City, Dongcheng District, Donghuamen **Sub-district**, Wangfujing Avenue...). * **In Conversation:** People use `街道` to talk about streets in general, especially when describing their atmosphere. For example, `这条街道很热闹` (This street is very lively). * **In Bureaucracy:** When registering your residence, applying for a temporary residence permit, or dealing with other local government matters, you will constantly be asked which `街道` you live in. Knowing your `街道` is as important as knowing your zip code in the West. Its connotation is generally neutral, but can become positive (`干净的街道` - a clean street) or negative (`拥挤的街道` - a crowded street) depending on the adjective used. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 这条**街道**两旁都是商店。 * Pinyin: Zhè tiáo **jiēdào** liǎng páng dōu shì shāngdiàn. * English: Both sides of this street are lined with shops. * Analysis: This is the most common, physical meaning of `街道` as a commercial street. * **Example 2:** * 你需要去你住的**街道**办事处登记。 * Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào qù nǐ zhù de **jiēdào** bànshìchù dēngjì. * English: You need to go to your residential sub-district office to register. * Analysis: This example perfectly illustrates the administrative meaning. The `办事处 (bànshìchù)` or "office" makes it clear we're talking about the government body. * **Example 3:** * 周末的时候，市中心的**街道**上人山人海。 * Pinyin: Zhōumò de shíhou, shìzhōngxīn de **jiēdào** shàng rén shān rén hǎi. * English: On weekends, the streets in the city center are packed with people. * Analysis: `人山人海 (rén shān rén hǎi)` is a classic idiom meaning "mountains and seas of people," often used to describe busy `街道`. * **Example 4:** * 清洁工正在打扫**街道**。 * Pinyin: Qīngjié gōng zhèngzài dǎsǎo **jiēdào**. * English: The sanitation worker is cleaning the street. * Analysis: A simple, everyday sentence showing `街道` as a public space that is maintained. * **Example 5:** * 我属于西长安街**街道**。 * Pinyin: Wǒ shǔyú Xī Cháng'ān Jiē **jiēdào**. * English: I belong to the West Chang'an Avenue Sub-district. * Analysis: The verb `属于 (shǔyú)`, "to belong to," highlights the administrative classification of a person within a `街道`. * **Example 6:** * 这条古老的**街道**保留了很多传统建筑。 * Pinyin: Zhè tiáo gǔlǎo de **jiēdào** bǎoliúle hěn duō chuántǒng jiànzhù. * English: This ancient street has preserved a lot of traditional architecture. * Analysis: `街道` can be used to refer to historical or culturally significant streets. * **Example 7:** * **街道**上的霓虹灯在夜晚闪烁。 * Pinyin: **Jiēdào** shàng de níhóngdēng zài yèwǎn shǎnshuò. * English: The neon lights on the street flicker at night. * Analysis: Evokes a modern, urban image associated with `街道`. * **Example 8:** * 他们的办公室就在我们**街道**的对面。 * Pinyin: Tāmen de bàngōngshì jiù zài wǒmen **jiēdào** de duìmiàn. * English: Their office is just across the street from us. * Analysis: Here, `街道` is used as a simple geographical marker, similar to English. * **Example 9:** * 每个**街道**都有一个负责计划生育的委员会。 * Pinyin: Měi ge **jiēdào** dōu yǒu yí ge fùzé jìhuà shēngyù de wěiyuánhuì. * English: Every sub-district has a committee responsible for family planning. * Analysis: A specific example of the `街道`'s historical and ongoing role in implementing state policy. * **Example 10:** * 孩子们喜欢在**街道**上玩耍，但太危险了。 * Pinyin: Háizimen xǐhuān zài **jiēdào** shàng wánshuǎ, dàn tài wēixiǎn le. * English: The children like to play on the street, but it's too dangerous. * Analysis: Shows a common, relatable context for the word `街道`. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **街道 (jiēdào) vs. 路 (lù):** This is the most common point of confusion for learners. * **路 (lù):** This is the general word for "road." It can be a huge highway or a small path. In an address, the specific name of the road you live on is almost always a `路`. For example, `南京西路` (West Nanjing Road). * **街道 (jiēdào):** This refers to a larger thoroughfare, often with buildings and commercial activity, and critically, the administrative "sub-district." You live *on* a `路 (lù)`, which is located *within* a `街道 (jiēdào)`. * **Incorrect Usage:** Saying "我住在南京街道" (I live on Nanjing Jiedao). This is ambiguous. Do you mean the Nanjing Sub-district, or a street named Nanjing? * **Correct Usage:** "我住在南京路" (I live on Nanjing Road). Or, to be very specific about your administration: "我住在南京路，属于静安寺街道" (I live on Nanjing Road, which belongs to the Jing'an Temple Sub-district). * **Forgetting the Administrative Meaning:** Many learners hear `街道` and only think "street." This leads to confusion when a Chinese person says they are "going to the `街道`" (meaning the sub-district office) to handle paperwork. Always remember the second, bureaucratic layer of meaning. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[路]] (lù) - Road. The most general term for any kind of road or path. `街道` is a specific type of urban road. * [[街]] (jiē) - Street. Often used in the proper names of streets (e.g., `王府井大街` - Wangfujing Main Street) and is less common as a standalone noun than `街道`. * [[胡同]] (hútòng) - A narrow alley or lane, characteristic of traditional neighborhoods in Beijing and northern China. * [[巷子]] (xiàngzi) - A general term for a narrow lane or alleyway, used more broadly across China. * [[社区]] (shèqū) - Community. The administrative level directly below a `街道`, often consisting of a few apartment complexes or blocks. * [[区]] (qū) - District. The administrative level above a `街道`. A large city is divided into several districts. * [[街道办事处]] (jiēdào bànshìchù) - Sub-district Office. The official government office for a `街道`. * [[地址]] (dìzhǐ) - Address. A `街道` is a crucial component of a Chinese `地址`. * [[热闹]] (rènao) - Lively, bustling. A common adjective used to describe a busy `街道`. * [[马路]] (mǎlù) - Road, street. Literally "horse road," it's a very common colloquial term for a road wide enough for traffic, often interchangeable with `路`.