In 15 Seconds
- The standard word for a street intersection or corner.
- Combines 'road' and 'mouth' to describe where streets meet.
- Essential for giving directions and navigating Chinese cities.
Meaning
It literally refers to the mouth of a road, which is where two or more streets meet to form an intersection or a street corner.
Key Examples
3 of 6Giving directions to a taxi driver
师傅，请在下一个路口左转。
Master (driver), please turn left at the next intersection.
Meeting a friend for coffee
我在路口等你，你快到了吗？
I'm waiting for you at the intersection, are you almost here?
Describing a location in a formal email
我们的办公室就在十字路口旁边。
Our office is right next to the intersection.
Cultural Background
The term reflects the Chinese linguistic habit of using body parts like 'mouth' (口) to describe openings or entrances. Historically, the street corner was the primary location for public notices and local commerce, making it a focal point of urban social life.
Counting Intersections
When someone says 'the second intersection,' they say `第二个路口`. It's the easiest way to track distance while walking.
Don't confuse with 门口
`门口` (ménkǒu) is the entrance to a building. If you tell a Didi driver to meet you at the `路口` but you are at the building gate, they will be very confused!
In 15 Seconds
- The standard word for a street intersection or corner.
- Combines 'road' and 'mouth' to describe where streets meet.
- Essential for giving directions and navigating Chinese cities.
What It Means
路口 is the standard way to say intersection or street corner. Think of it as the 'mouth' where the road opens up into another. It is a fundamental word for navigation. You will see it on every GPS and hear it from every taxi driver. It is simple, direct, and essential.
How To Use It
You usually pair it with a number or a direction. To say 'the next intersection,' you say 下一个路口. If you are giving directions, you might say 'turn left at the intersection.' It acts as a physical landmark. You can also use it to describe where you are waiting for someone. 'I am at the intersection' is a classic meetup text.
When To Use It
Use it whenever you are talking about movement or location. It is perfect for calling a Didi (Uber). It is great for telling a friend where to meet. Use it when you are lost and need to describe your surroundings. It works in business settings when giving office directions too. It is a versatile, everyday noun.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it for a 'crossroads' in life or career. For metaphorical choices, Chinese uses 十字路口 (ten-character road mouth). Avoid using it for a small alleyway entrance; that is usually a 胡同口 or 巷口. It is specifically for where roads intersect. Do not use it for a highway exit, which is an 出口.
Cultural Background
Chinese cities are often laid out in grids. This makes 路口 the most important unit of measurement for walking. In older times, the 'mouth' of a street was the social hub. It was where news was shared and snacks were sold. Even today, the busiest 路口 are where you find the best street food. It is the pulse point of the neighborhood.
Common Variations
The most common variation is 十字路口. This literally means a 'cross-shaped' intersection. You might also hear 丁字路口 for a T-junction. If there are traffic lights, people often just say 红绿灯 (red-green light). But 路口 remains the most general and safe term for any street meeting point.
Usage Notes
Extremely common and versatile. It is the default term for any street junction. No special politeness markers are needed, but adding '请' (please) when giving directions is always better.
Counting Intersections
When someone says 'the second intersection,' they say `第二个路口`. It's the easiest way to track distance while walking.
Don't confuse with 门口
`门口` (ménkǒu) is the entrance to a building. If you tell a Didi driver to meet you at the `路口` but you are at the building gate, they will be very confused!
The 'Ten' Shape
Because the character for ten is `十` (a cross), a four-way intersection is almost always called a `十字路口` (shízì lùkǒu).
Examples
6师傅，请在下一个路口左转。
Master (driver), please turn left at the next intersection.
A very common way to direct drivers in China.
我在路口等你，你快到了吗？
I'm waiting for you at the intersection, are you almost here?
Used as a clear meeting point.
我们的办公室就在十字路口旁边。
Our office is right next to the intersection.
Using the 'cross' variation adds precision.
这个路口太乱了，我找不到你！
This intersection is too chaotic, I can't find you!
Expressing frustration in a busy urban area.
这个路口有一万个人在等红绿灯。
There are ten thousand people waiting at this intersection for the light.
Hyperbole used to describe a crowded city.
我们就在这个路口分手吧。
Let's part ways at this intersection.
Can feel slightly poignant depending on the context of the goodbye.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct word to complete the direction.
请在下一个 ___ 右转。
You turn at a 'road mouth' (intersection), not a 'door mouth' or an 'elevator'.
How do you say 'this intersection'?
___ 路口人很多。
'这个' means 'this', making the sentence 'This intersection has many people.'
🎉 Score: /2
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
2 exercises请在下一个 ___ 右转。
You turn at a 'road mouth' (intersection), not a 'door mouth' or an 'elevator'.
___ 路口人很多。
'这个' means 'this', making the sentence 'This intersection has many people.'
🎉 Score: /2
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it's a general term for any place roads meet. However, for a 4-way cross, people often specify 十字路口.
You say 在路口 (zài lùkǒu). For example, 我在路口 means 'I am at the intersection'.
Not usually. A highway exit is 出口 (chūkǒu). 路口 is for surface streets.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss, your grandmother, or a stranger on the street.
It is called a 丁字路口 (dīngzì lùkǒu) because the character 丁 looks like a T.
You can say 在路口停一下 (Zài lùkǒu tíng yīxià).
Usually, 十字路口 is used for metaphors, like 'standing at a crossroads in life' (站在人生的十字路口).
路 is the road itself, while 路口 is specifically the point where it intersects with another.
Not really, but in some dialects, people might use local terms for corners, though 路口 is understood everywhere.
You can still say 路口, but many people will say 红绿灯 (hónglǜdēng) to be more specific.
Related Phrases
十字路口
Four-way intersection (Crossroads)
转角
Street corner (more poetic/romantic)
红绿灯
Traffic light
过马路
To cross the street
