Downtown
Meaning: The southern part of Manhattan; going south in the city; also associated with artsy, bohemian culture.
Downtown in NYC means going south or the lower part of Manhattan — SoHo, the Village, Lower East Side, Tribeca, the Financial District. Beyond geography, 'downtown' carries cultural weight: the downtown scene historically meant alternative, artistic, bohemian culture as opposed to uptown's establishment feel.
Examples
- We're going downtown to check out a gallery opening in SoHo. 我们去下城区看看苏荷区的画廊开幕展。Vamos downtown a ver la inauguración de una galería en el SoHo.ソーホーのギャラリーオープニングを見に、ダウンタウンに行くよ。소호의 갤러리 오프닝을 보러 다운타운에 갈 거야.
- Take the downtown 1 train to get to the Village. 去格林威治村的话,坐南行的1号线。Coge la línea 1 dirección downtown para ir al Village.ヴィレッジに行くならダウンタウン方面の1番線に乗って。빌리지에 가려면 다운타운 방향 1호선을 타.
- The downtown music scene in the '80s was legendary. 80年代下城区的音乐现场是传奇。La escena musical de downtown en los años 80 fue legendaria.80年代のダウンタウンの音楽シーンは伝説的だった。80년대 다운타운 음악 씬은 전설적이었어.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: directions, transit, culture
Tone: casual, directional
✓ Do Say
- Let's head downtown.咱们去下城区吧。Vamos hacia downtown.ダウンタウンに行こう。다운타운으로 가자.
- The downtown scene is more my vibe.下城区的氛围更适合我。La escena de downtown va más conmigo.ダウンタウンの雰囲気のほうが自分に合ってるな。다운타운 씬이 내 스타일에 더 맞아.
✗ Don't Say
- Don't confuse NYC's 'downtown' with the general American usage meaning 'city center' — in NYC, downtown is specifically the southern end of Manhattan不要把纽约的'downtown'和一般美式英语中表示'市中心'的用法混淆——在纽约,downtown专指曼哈顿南端No confundir el 'downtown' de Nueva York con el uso general americano que significa 'centro de la ciudad' — en NYC, downtown es específicamente el extremo sur de Manhattan.NYCの「ダウンタウン」をアメリカ一般の「繁華街・中心街」の意味と混同しないこと——NYCではダウンタウンはマンハッタンの南端を指すNYC의 '다운타운'을 미국의 일반적인 용법인 '도심'과 혼동하지 말 것 — NYC에서 다운타운은 구체적으로 맨해튼 남쪽 끝을 가리킨다
Origin & History
Lower Manhattan was the original settlement of New York. As the city grew northward, 'downtown' became synonymous with the older southern neighborhoods. The downtown arts scene flourished in the 1970s-80s when cheap rents attracted artists to neighborhoods like the East Village and SoHo.
Cultural Context
Era: 17th century
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Manhattan, New York City
More From This Topic
More from Regional: Northeast / NYC
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