hú tòngr
ruelle; chemin; rue secondaire
北京的胡同儿很有名。
Běijīng de hútòngr hěn yǒumíng.
The hutongs in Beijing are very famous.
我小时候住在胡同儿里。
Wǒ xiǎoshíhòu zhùzài hútòngr lǐ.
I lived in a hutong when I was a child.
胡同儿里有很多老房子。
Hútòngr lǐ yǒu hěnduō lǎo fángzi.
There are many old houses in the hutongs.
胡同 (hútòng)
alley
小巷 (xiǎoxiàng)
lane
马路 (mǎlù)
road
街道 (jiēdào)
street
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The Chinese word 胡同儿 (hútòngr) for a hutong, a narrow street or alley in Beijing, has an interesting etymology. The word 胡同儿 is derived from the Mongolian word "hotol", which means "well" or "spring". In the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), when the Mongols ruled China, they built many wells in Beijing to provide water for their troops. The areas around these wells became known as "hutongs". Over time, the word "hutong" came to refer to any narrow street or alley in Beijing.The character 胡 (hú) in 胡同儿 means "barbarian" or "foreigner". This is because the hutongs were originally inhabited by Mongols and other non-Han Chinese people. The character 同 (tóng) means "together" or "with". The character 儿 (r) is a diminutive suffix. So, the word 胡同儿 literally means "a small street or alley where foreigners live".Today, hutongs are a popular tourist destination in Beijing. They offer a glimpse into the city's history and culture. Many hutongs have been preserved and restored, and they are now home to shops, restaurants, and cafes.
