城 (chéng) - city & city wall

城Tone 2

chéng ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

呈橙

城 · chéng

city;

city wall;

urban area;

fortified wall

citycity wallurban area

Usage highlights

cityGreat Wallcity wallancient citycapital cityinner city

Synonyms

  • 市— city, market
  • 都— capital, metropolis
  • 邑— city, town (archaic)

Antonyms

  • 乡— countryside, rural area
  • 村— village

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Beijing is a large city (北京是一个大城市).
  • They built a wall around the ancient city (他们建造了古城墙).
  • Urban development is rapid (城市发展很快).
  • The Great Wall is a famous fortification (长城是著名的防御工事).

Collocations

  • city(城市)
  • Great Wall(长城)
  • city wall(城墙)
  • ancient city(古城)
  • capital city(京城)
  • inner city(内城)

Idioms

  • To talk about strategies on the city wall(纸上谈兵)
  • The city gate is on fire, affecting the fish in the moat(城门失火，殃及池鱼)
  • To besiege Wei to rescue Zhao(围魏救赵)
  • An impregnable city(固若金汤)
  • To destroy the cauldrons and sink the boats(破釜沉舟)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, cities were defined by their defensive walls, which were crucial for protection.
  • The character appears in many historical city names and reflects the importance of urban centers in Chinese civilization.
  • The Great Wall (长城) is one of the most iconic structures associated with this character.

FAQ