都会

とかい

city

JLPT N3

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

The word 都会 (dūhuì) refers to a large city or metropolis, often implying a place with advanced infrastructure, economic development, and vibrant cultural life. It is commonly used to contrast with rural or smaller towns.

Common Contexts

都会 is frequently used when discussing urban life, economic centers, or cultural hubs. It often appears in conversations about lifestyle differences between city and countryside.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 都会生活 (dūhuì shēnghuó): city life, emphasizing the lifestyle and activities in a metropolis.
  • 大都 (dà dūhuì): a large metropolis, highlighting the size and importance of the city.
  • 都会 (qù dūhuì): to go to the city, often used when someone moves or travels from rural areas to urban centers.

Nuances

Using 都会 often carries connotations of modernity, opportunity, and sometimes fast-paced or complex social environments. It is a neutral to formal term and is suitable for both spoken and written Chinese.

Common Confusion

Do not confuse 都会 with 城市 (chéngshì), which also means city but is more general and can refer to any city size. 都会 usually implies a larger, more developed urban area.

Example Sentences

Shanghai is one of the largest metropolises in China, with a very developed

Young people like to go to the city to experience the rich nightlife.

Although I live in the countryside, I dream of working and living in the