街
boulevard, street, town
Readings
On'yomi
- ガイ
- カイ
Kun'yomi
- まち
Nanori
- また
Meaning
街 centers on a main road in a populated area: a boulevard, a street, or by extension the town itself that such streets define.
Most common words using 街
20 of 98- 街がいN2
street; quarter; district; area
- 街道かいどうN1
highway (esp. one existing from the Edo period); main road
- 市街地しがいち
town area; urban area; metropolitan area; built-up area
- 街頭がいとうN1
(on the) street
- 市街しがいN1
urban areas; the streets; town; city
- 街角まちかどN2
street corner
- 街宣がいせん
carrying out (political) propaganda activity on the streets
- 街路がいろ
road; street; avenue
- 街灯がいとう
street light; streetlamp
- 地下街ちかがいN1
underground shopping center; underground shopping centre
- ウォール街ウォールがい
Wall Street
- 歓楽街かんらくがい
entertainment district; amusement area; pleasure quarter; red-light district
- 花街かがい
red-light district; prostitution quarter; geisha quarter
- 市街化区域しがいかくいき
area zoned for urbanization (urbanisation)
- 繁華街はんかがい
business district; shopping district; bustling street; shopping centre; shopping center; downtown
- 住宅街じゅうたくがいN2
residential area
- 街宣車がいせんしゃ
sound truck (used for campaigning, advertising or propaganda); loudspeaker van; (right-wing) propaganda vehicle
- 街路樹がいろじゅ
roadside trees
- 商店街しょうてんがいN3
shopping district; shopping street; downtown
- 中華街ちゅうかがい
Chinatown
Study
Etymology
街 combines 行 (to go, movement) with 圭, which likely contributes the sound. The compound originally referred to a crossroads or a main thoroughfare in a settlement.
Meaning mnemonic
The outer 行 suggests movement, and the inner 圭 looks like stacked earth or blocks. Picture a paved road lined with blocks of buildings: a street or boulevard in a town.
Reading mnemonic
For ガイ, imagine a guy walking down a busy boulevard: guy -> ガイ, and he strolls along the street.