city, town

JLPT N5 5 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Meaning and Usage

The character primarily means "city" or "market town." It is commonly used to refer to an urban area or municipality. In modern Chinese, often appears in place names or when discussing urban centers.

Common Collocations

  • 中心 (shì zhōngxīn): city center, downtown
  • 政府 (shì zhèngfǔ): city government
  • 市场 (shìchǎng): market (note here is part of a compound meaning market)

Usage Notes

When using , it usually refers to a city as an administrative or geographical unit. It can also imply the commercial aspect of a city, especially in compounds like 市场 (market). Unlike (chéng), which can mean city walls or a city in a more historical or structural sense, focuses on the urban or market function.

Common Confusions

vs : emphasizes the city as a market or administrative entity, while often refers to the physical city or town, especially with walls or fortifications historically.

Summary

is a versatile character essential for talking about cities, urban areas, and markets. It appears frequently in place names and everyday conversation about locations and commerce.

Example Sentences

Shanghai is one of the largest cities in China.

Let's go to the city center to buy things.

The economy of this city is developing rapidly.