都会

• Pinyin: dū huì
• Hanzi breakdown: 都 = 者 + 阝(city radical); 会 = 人 + 云 (people gathering)

Meaning

Metropolis; a large, densely populated urban center. A formal or literary term for a major city.

A formal or literary alternative to 大城市. Common in planning, academic, and journalistic contexts. 都会区 (metropolitan area). More elevated in register than 城市. Also appears in Taiwanese Mandarin usage more frequently than in mainland Chinese.

Examples

1. 随着城镇化推进，越来越多的人口涌入各大都会。 As urbanization advances, more and more people are pouring into major metropolitan areas.
2. 这座都会以其完善的基础设施和繁荣的商业著称。 This metropolis is known for its well-developed infrastructure and thriving commerce.
3. 现代都会的生活节奏普遍快于中小城市。 Life in a modern metropolis generally moves faster than in small and mid-sized cities.

Usage Guide

Context: urban planning, academia, journalism

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 大型都会的空气污染和交通拥堵问题亟需系统性解决方案。(Air pollution and traffic congestion in large metropolises urgently need systematic solutions.)
• 该都会区的GDP总量占全国经济比重超过三分之一。(The GDP of this metropolitan area accounts for more than one-third of the national economy.)

Don't Say

• 我住的小村子是个都会 — 都会 only refers to large urban centers; for a small community say 村庄, 小镇, or 社区

Origin & History

都 (capital city/gather) + 会 (gather/converge) — originally meaning a place where people and goods converge

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal