Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 城市 | chéngshì |
| 城 | chéng |
| 鎮 / 镇 | zhèn |
| 城鎮 / 城镇 | chéngzhèn |
The term for a settlement varies significantly based on the scale of the area. You can use terms for large cities, smaller administrative towns or general descriptions of urban areas.
What does it mean word for word?
The single character 城 literally means a city or a walled settlement.
Which one should you use?
城市 refers to a large city or a major urban area. In contrast, 镇 is used for a smaller administrative unit or a township. The term 城镇 is a general way to describe towns or urban areas collectively. The single character 城 can refer more generally to a city or a walled settlement.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The expression 镇子 is often heard in the northern and northeastern parts of China.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing that someone is 'in town', Chinese speakers often use the construction 城里 to mean 'inside the city' or 'inside the town'.
How do you pronounce it?
chéngshì
Did you know?
- In ancient China, the word for 'completing' a task 成 was a cognate of the word for 'city walls' 城 because building the walls completed the settlement.
- The distinction between 城市 and 镇 is not just about size, but often refers to the specific administrative level of the settlement in the government hierarchy.
Examples in context
- 城市安睡了。The town slept.Tatoeba #7774828 by jiangche, translation #277886 by sundown
- 我丈夫没在城里。My husband's not in town.This sentence shows how to express being 'in town' using 城.Tatoeba #7767655 by jiangche, translation #4381953 by Hybrid
- 我在小城鎮長大。I grew up in a small town.Tatoeba #13667861 by LeviHighway, translation #1699226 by Spamster
- 我来自一个小城市。(Wǒ láizì yī ge xiǎo chéngshì.)I come from a small town.
- 我在这个小镇长大。(Wǒ zài zhè ge xiǎo zhèn zhǎng dà.)I grew up in this small town.
- 我们一起去逛镇子吧！(Wǒmen yīqǐ qù guàng zhènzi ba!)Let's go stroll around the town together!
- 我爸爸在一个美丽的小镇做生意。(Wǒ bàba zài yī ge měilì de xiǎo zhèn zuò shēngyì.)My dad does business in a beautiful small town.
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Haoran and Jiayi are discussing where to live.
- 浩然 Haoran你想住在哪个城市？Nǐ xiǎng zhù zài nǎge chéngshì?Which city do you want to live in?
- 佳怡 Jiayi我想住在安静的城市。Wǒ xiǎng zhù zài ānjìng de chéngshì.I want to live in a quiet city.
- 浩然 Haoran那里有好的工作吗？Nàlǐ yǒu hǎo de gōngzuò ma?Are there good jobs there?
- 佳怡 Jiayi是的，这个城市机会很多。Shì de, zhège chéngshì jīhuì hěnduō.Yes, this city has many opportunities.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “town” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 城, 鎮, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
