noun HSK 2
city · market · municipality
Meaning
市 is a fundamental word meaning 'city' or 'municipality' in modern Chinese. It refers to an urban administrative area or settlement. The character originally depicted a marketplace, and this commercial meaning still exists in compound words related to markets and trading.
Usage
市 commonly appears in place names (北京市 Beijing City, 上海市 Shanghai City) and administrative divisions. It's also used in words related to markets and commerce (市场 market, 超市 supermarket). In formal administrative contexts, it distinguishes cities from counties (县) or provinces (省).
Examples
- 01北京市是中国的首都。.Beijing City is the capital of China.
- 02这个市有三百万人口。.This city has a population of three million.
Measure words
- 个一个市
- 座一座城市
Common collocations
- 市中心city center, downtown
- 市政府city government, municipal government
- 城市化urbanization
- 市民city resident, citizen
Antonyms
Origin
The character 市 originally depicted a marketplace with goods for sale. Over time, it evolved to mean city, as cities historically developed around commercial centers and marketplaces.