‘天桥’ (tiān qiáo) literally means ‘sky bridge’—‘天’ (tiān) means ‘sky’ or ‘heaven’, and ‘桥’ (qiáo) means ‘bridge’. Together, they refer to an elevated pedestrian walkway that crosses over roads, railways, or other obstacles, allowing people to walk safely above traffic. Unlike regular bridges used by vehicles, a 天桥 is exclusively for foot traffic and is commonly found in urban areas, especially near busy intersections, subway stations, or shopping districts.

This term is neutral and widely used in both formal and informal contexts across mainland China, Taiwan, and other Mandarin-speaking regions. It’s distinct from ‘地下通道’ (dìxià tōngdào), which means ‘underground pedestrian tunnel’. While ‘天桥’ emphasizes vertical separation (going over), it carries no metaphorical or poetic connotation in everyday usage—it’s purely functional and architectural.