Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

NameS, kiNShiP termS, titleS, aNd termS oF addreSS
22.7

The terms used to refer to the units in street addresses differ somewhat in Taiwan and in mainland
China. Here is a summary of the most common terms. The term 胡同 hútong ‘alley’ is used
in Beijing, though as streets are restructured, alleys are being eliminated.

Terms used in Taiwan Terms used in mainland China

段 duàn section 区/區 qū district

区/區 qū district (大)街 (dà)jiē street

巷 xiàng alley 路 lù road, street

弄 lòng alley, lane 胡同 hútong alley

里 lǐ neighborhood 号/號 hào number

路 lù road, street

号/號 hào number

Two sample addresses in Beijing:

北京市西城区红星胡同18号

北京市西城區紅星胡同18號

Běijīng shì xīchéng qū hóngxīng hútong 18 hào

18 Red Star Alley, West District, Beijing

北京市新街口南大街十号

北京市新街口南大街十號

Běijīng shì xīn jiē kǒu nán dà jiē shí hào

10 South Xinjiekou Street, Beijing

In Beijing, street names often make reference to their location inside or outside of a traditional
city gate. Here is an example:

建国门外大街

建國門外大街

Jiànguó mén wài dà jiē

the big street outside of the Jianguo Gate

Three sample addresses in Taiwan:

台北市和平东路一段162号

臺北市和平東路一段162號

Táiběi shì Hépíng dōng lù yī duàn 162 hào

162 Section 1 Hoping East Road, Taipei

40744台中市西屯区台中港路三段181号

40744臺中市西屯區臺中港路三段181號

40744 Táizhōng shì xī tún qū Táizhōng gǎng lù sān duàn 181 hào

181 Section 3 Taichung Harbor Road, Xitun District, Taichung, 40744

高雄县清水镇永康乡，镇南里冈山南路42号

高雄縣清水鎮永康鄉，鎮南裏岡山南路42號

Gāoxióng xiàn qīngshuǐ zhèn yǒngkāng xiāng, zhèn nán lǐ gāng shān nán lù 42 hào

42 South Gangshan Road, Zhennan Neighborhood, Yongkang Village, Qingshui

Township, Gaoxiong (County)

For greetings and goodbyes in letters, see

C24.3