在北京，胡同(hutong)是由一排排传统四合院(siheyuan)形成的小巷。四合院相依而连形成“胡同”，胡同与胡同相连形成了许多街区。
古时候，高官和富商的四合院中，房屋雕梁画栋，庭院景观秀美，成排宽敞的房屋与围墙隔断的花园形成了井然有序的胡同。老百姓的四合院规模小，设计装饰简单，形成的胡同较为狭窄。
“胡同” 这个词最早出现在元代，被认为是出自于蒙古语，最初是“水井”的意思。
胡同是北京文化元素的一个重要代表。由于北京悠长的历史和六朝古都的地位，每条胡同都有它的趣闻掌故，有些甚至与历史事件相关。
与紫禁城、颐和园、天坛的宫廷生活和贵族文化形成鲜明对比，胡同可以说是北京平民文化的代表。胡同是居民休养生息的场所，是老北京的心脏。
参考答案：
In Peking，hutongs are alleyes made up by lines of traditional siheyuan. One siheyuan stands next to another , and thus a hutong appears. And one hutong stands next to another ,a neighborhood appears.
In ancient times, the siheyuan of high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants featured beautifully carved and painted roof beams and pillars and carefully landscaped garden. The hutongs they formed were orderly ,lined by spacious homes and walled gardens. While the siheyuan of civilians are smaller in scale,and simpler in design and decoration, the hutongs formed by them are narrower.
The term "hutong" appeared first during the Yuan Dynasty, and is believed to be a term of Mongolian language originally meaning "wells”.
Hutongs represent an important cultural element of Beijing. Thanks to Beijing's long history and status as the capital for six dynasties, almost every hutong has its anecdotes, and some are even associated with historic events.
In stark contrast to the court life and elite culture represented by the Forbidden City, summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven, the hutongs reflect the culture of grassroots Beijingers. The hutongs are residential neighborhoods and also the heart of Old Beijing.
