‘新弄’ (xīn nòng) is a noun referring to a newly constructed residential lane or small urban housing block, commonly found in cities like Shanghai and other parts of eastern China. The character 新 (xīn) means ‘new’, while 弄 (nòng) here is a historical term for narrow lanes or alleyways lined with traditional shikumen or modern low-rise residential buildings. Though 弄 can mean ‘to do’ or ‘to handle’ in other contexts, in place names it carries this specific architectural and geographic meaning.

This term appears frequently in real estate listings, local addresses, and neighborhood descriptions—especially when distinguishing recently developed housing from older, historic ‘nòngtáng’ (lane communities). It conveys both physical newness and a sense of planned, compact urban living. While not used in formal administrative geography, it’s widely understood in everyday speech and signage among city dwellers.