大街小巷

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: dà jiē xiǎo xiàng
• English Translation: Main streets and small alleys, everywhere in town, all places
• Idiom Composition: 「大」（Big, large）＋「街」（Main street）＋「小」（Small）＋「巷」（Alley, lane）
• Meaning: Refers to the main streets and small alleys, meaning all places throughout a town. It is used to describe something that extends to every corner of a city or when an event or information has a wide-reaching influence.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「大街小巷」 contains the following nuances:

• Wide range: Not only refers to physical locations but can also describe situations where something is widely known or has a broad impact.
• Every corner: Emphasizes that it includes not only main places but also less noticed areas, covering every corner.
• All areas: Can also refer to all areas including urban, rural, and countryside regions.

3. Usage

「大街小巷」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Describing places: Refers to all places in a city or town to express its extent and liveliness.
  • Example:「节日期间，大街小巷都挂满了彩灯，节日气氛浓厚。」
    （During the festival, everywhere in town was decorated with lanterns, creating a strong festive atmosphere.）
• Information spread: Describes how information or rumors have spread widely.
  • Example:「消息一经传出，立刻传遍了大街小巷。」
    （Once the news was out, it immediately spread throughout every corner of the town.）
• Extent of influence: Describes situations where an event or policy has a wide-ranging impact.
  • Example:「这个新政策受到了广泛欢迎，大街小巷都在讨论。」
    （This new policy has been widely welcomed and is being discussed everywhere in town.）

Additional Examples:

1. 他走遍了大街小巷，终于找到了那家传说中的老店。
   （He walked through every street and alley and finally found the legendary old shop.）
2. 自从那家网红店开业以来，每天都是人山人海，连带着周围的大街小巷也热闹起来。
   （Since that popular store opened, it has been crowded every day, and the surrounding main streets and alleys have also become lively.）
3. 春节期间，无论你走到哪个城市的大街小巷，都能感受到浓浓的年味。
   （During the Spring Festival, no matter which city's main streets and alleys you walk through, you can feel the strong festive atmosphere.）
4. 这部电影非常受欢迎，大街小巷都在谈论它。
   （This movie is very popular and is being talked about everywhere.）
5. 他的歌声传遍了城市的大街小巷，每个人都能哼唱几句。
   （His singing voice spread throughout every corner of the city, and everyone can hum a few lines.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• '大街小巷' reflects the traditional urban structure in China. '大街' refers to main streets, while '小巷' refers to narrow alleys connecting these streets, together forming the urban space.
• In traditional Chinese culture, streets and alleys were not just transportation routes but also centers of daily life and commercial activities. '大街小巷' thus also represents these social living spaces.
• It is important to note that this idiom is often used metaphorically to mean 'everywhere' or 'throughout every corner,' beyond just physical locations.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 街头巷尾 (jiē tóu xiàng wěi): Everywhere in town. Similar in meaning to '大街小巷' but emphasizes the continuity from the start of the street to the end of the alley.
  • 四通八达 (sì tōng bā dá): Connected in all directions, with very convenient transportation. Has a similar meaning when '大街小巷' is used to describe an urban transportation network.
• Opposite Idioms:

6. Summary

'大街小巷' is an idiom rooted in traditional Chinese urban structure and social life. It is used not only to refer to physical locations but also to express the spread of information or influence. When using this idiom, it is important to consider the context to determine whether it refers to specific places or is used metaphorically to mean 'everywhere.'