郊区

• Pinyin: jiāo qū
• Hanzi breakdown: 郊 = 交 (cross) + 阝(city), meaning outskirts; 区 = 匸 (hiding) + 品 (items), meaning area

Meaning

Suburbs; outskirts. The outer areas of a city.

Refers to residential areas on the edges of cities, typically with lower density than city centers. Often associated with more space, nature, and affordable housing. The opposite is 市中心 (city center).

Examples

1. 为了住更大的房子，他们搬到了郊区生活。 To live in a bigger house, they moved to the suburbs.
2. 周末我们开车去郊区踏青，呼吸新鲜空气。 On the weekend, we drove to the suburbs for a spring outing and to breathe fresh air.
3. 随着城市扩张，原来的郊区现在也变得很繁华了。 With urban expansion, what was originally the suburbs has now become quite prosperous.

Usage Guide

Context: urban, real estate, lifestyle, travel

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 郊区的空气比市区好。(The air in the suburbs is better than downtown.)
• 我住在郊区，通勤要一个小时。(I live in the suburbs; my commute is one hour.)

Don't Say

• 农村的郊区 (郊区 is specifically the edge of cities — for rural areas, just use 农村)

Origin & History

Compound of 郊 (suburbs, outskirts) + 区 (area, district), meaning the suburban area.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal