街

Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 街 (jiē) for "street" is composed of two parts: the radical 行 (xíng) and the phonetic component 圭 (guī). The radical 行 originally meant "to walk" or "to go", and it is often used in characters related to movement or travel. The phonetic component 圭 is a pictograph of a jade tablet, and it is used in characters related to value or worth.The combination of the radical 行 and the phonetic component 圭 in the character 街 suggests the idea of a place where people walk or travel, which is a street. The character 街 first appeared in the oracle bone script, the earliest form of Chinese writing, and it has been used continuously ever since.In modern Chinese, the character 街 is used in a variety of contexts to refer to streets, roads, or thoroughfares. It can also be used in a more general sense to refer to a town or city. For example, the phrase 北京街 (Běijīng jiē) means "Beijing Street", while the phrase 上海街 (Shànghǎi jiē) means "Shanghai Street". The character 街 can also be used in compound words, such as 街道 (jiēdào), which means "street" or "road", and 街区 (jiēqū), which means "city block".Understanding the etymology of Chinese characters can help HSK learners to better understand the meaning and usage of these characters. By knowing the components and origins of a character, learners can gain a deeper appreciation for the richness and complexity of the Chinese language.