What reading would I use for 街 in fictional place names?


I'm reading a web novel and the author made up a nickname for a very rundown
area of the city the characters live in:

> 貧困街

There's no furigana so I'm not sure of the reading, but my guess is
"Hinkongai" (ひんこんがい) so "gai" rather than "Machi" reading.

Is my assumption correct? If it is does it mean fictional place names using
the 街 kanji as a suffix will always be pronounced "gai"?




If the author didn't provide furigana for its reading, it could be pretty
ambiguous.

According to Google Translate, it's read as ひんこんまち, but @user4092 has noted it
would only be read that way as a proper noun.

However, "ひんこんがい" goes with all ONYOMI reading, instead of ひんこんまち, which goes
with on-on-kun. (Kun short for kunyomi.)

A commenter who seems to be native has noted that your assumption of ひんこんがい
sounds more natural.

