首都

• Pinyin: shǒu dū
• Hanzi breakdown: 首 = pictograph of a head with hair; 都 = 者 (person, phonetic) + 阝 (city)

Meaning

Capital; capital city. The city designated as the seat of national government.

Used to refer to national capitals. Beijing is the capital of China. Can appear in compound forms like 首都机场 (Capital Airport). A formal and widely recognised term.

Examples

1. 北京是中国的首都。 Beijing is the capital of China.
2. 每个国家都有自己的首都。 Every country has its own capital.
3. 首都的交通非常方便。 The transport in the capital is very convenient.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, education, news

Tone: informative

Do Say

• 你知道日本的首都是哪里吗？(Do you know where the capital of Japan is?)
• 首都是一个国家最重要的城市之一。(The capital is one of the most important cities in a country.)

Don't Say

• 上海是中国的首都。(Don't confuse 首都 with the largest or most famous city — 首都 specifically means the seat of government. Beijing, not Shanghai, is the capital.)

Origin & History

首 (head/first) + 都 (metropolis/capital). Literally 'the head city', indicating the primary city of a nation.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal