城乡

• Pinyin: chéng xiāng
• Hanzi breakdown: 城 = 土 (earth) + 成 (complete), city; 乡 = simplified from 鄉, countryside/village

Meaning

Urban and rural; city and countryside. Refers to both urban and rural areas together.

A compound frequently used in policy, economics, and social discussions to address issues affecting both cities and villages. Often appears in phrases like 城乡差距 (urban-rural gap), 城乡一体化 (urban-rural integration), and 城乡居民 (urban and rural residents).

Examples

1. 政府致力于缩小城乡收入差距。 The government is committed to narrowing the income gap between urban and rural areas.
2. 城乡医疗资源分配不均是一个突出问题。 The uneven distribution of medical resources between urban and rural areas is a prominent issue.
3. 越来越多的农村青年涌入城市，城乡人口流动加剧。 More and more rural youth are flooding into cities, intensifying urban-rural population movement.

Usage Guide

Context: policy, economics, sociology

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 城乡发展不平衡需要解决。(The imbalance between urban and rural development needs to be addressed.)
• 城乡居民医保已经并轨。(Urban and rural resident medical insurance has been unified.)

Don't Say

• '城乡'是固定搭配，不能说'乡城' (城乡 is a fixed compound — you cannot reverse it to 乡城)

Origin & History

A compound of 城 (city) and 乡 (countryside/village), used as a set phrase to refer to both urban and rural areas.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal