n.
road; street
马路
Common Usage & Traps
- 过马路 — to cross the road
- 马路对面 — across the street
- 马路上 — on the road (physical surface)
- 马路旁边 — beside the road
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走马路过马路English speakers translate 'cross the road' word for word and land on 走马路. But 走 has no sense of getting to the other side. The fixed phrase for crossing is 过马路.
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我在马路上我在路上This is what learners text back to 你在哪儿 when they mean 'I'm on my way'. But 马路上 means physically standing on the road surface, like you're out in traffic. En route is 在路上.
A friend texts 你在哪儿 while you're still driving over. Why does 我在马路上 sound so weird?
在马路上 means standing in traffic; 在路上 means you're on your way.
马路上 describes a physical spot, meaning the road surface itself. Say it about yourself and you sound like you're lying in traffic. When you mean 'on my way', the phrase is 在路上. Natives reply 我在路上，马上到 when they're still in transit. Save 马路上 for describing stuff that sits or happens on the road.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| What it describes | 在路上 = en route | 在马路上 = physically on the asphalt |
| Sample line | 我在路上，十分钟到 | 我在马路上，十分钟到 |
| Describing objects | 马路上有个大坑 | 路上有个大坑 (when it's really on the road) |
| How it lands | Normal answer to 你在哪儿 | Sounds like you're stranded in traffic |
How do you actually say 'cross the road' in Chinese, and why does 走马路 sound off?
Crossing the road is always 过马路, never 走马路.
过 carries the meaning of getting across, so 过马路 is the locked-in phrase for crossing. 走 alone just means walking, with no sense of reaching the other side. If you only mean strolling on the street, say 在马路上走. Some regions say 穿马路, but 过马路 is the safe bet everywhere.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Getting to the other side | 过马路 | 走马路 |
| Strolling on the street, not crossing | 在马路上走 | 走马路 |
| Warning a kid | 过马路要看红绿灯 | 走马路要看红绿灯 |
Is every path, from a highway to a tiny back alley, a 马路?
马路 is a real road with cars on it, not just any path.
路 is the catch-all word for routes, directions, and ways to go. 马路 is narrower: a proper road that vehicles actually drive on. A skinny old alley in Beijing is a 胡同, not a 马路. A shop-lined street is usually 街 or 街道. Calling a narrow footpath 马路 gets you a puzzled look.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Any route or direction | 路 | 马路 |
| A road cars drive on | 马路 | 路 (too vague here) |
| A tiny back alley | 胡同 / 小巷 | 马路 |
| A street lined with shops | 街 / 街道 | 马路 |
Featured in Story Deep Dive
Follow how this word unfolds across the narrative arc of this graded story.
Before you read, think about names: a train is called 'fire vehicle' in Chinese, but there's no fire! This simple rhyme will help you laugh while reviewing everyday words.
- Scene #1
马路 没有马。
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