街
街·street, town
- On-yomi
- ガイカイ
- Kun-yomi
- まち
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 街 | まち | town, city streets |
| 商店街 | しょうてんがい | shopping street |
| 街道 | かいどう | highway, main road |
| 街灯 | がいとう | street lamp |
Example sentences
夜の街はとてもにぎやかだ。
よるのまちはとてもにぎやかだ。
The streets are very lively at night.
駅前の商店街で買い物をした。
えきまえのしょうてんがいでかいものをした。
I did my shopping in the shopping street in front of the station.
この道は街灯が一つも点いていない。
このみちはがいとうがひとつもついていない。
Not a single street lamp is lit on this road.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 街道 as がいどう — it is かいどう
- Writing 町 where 街 (a busy quarter, as in 商店街) is meant
Memory aid
Picture it
The crossroads radical 行 split open with 圭 (piled-up earth) set inside it — buildings stacked along both sides of a road.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 街 mean?