东京都 (dōng jīng dōu) — Tokyo Metropolis (the prefecture-level administ…

Definition

noun

Tokyo Metropolis (the prefecture-level administrative division of Japan)

东京都，。
dōng jīng dōu Shì rì běn de shǒu dū, yě shì shì jiè shàng zuì dà de dū shì zhī yī.
Tokyo Metropolis is the capital of Japan and one of the largest cities in the world.
东京都，。
Wǒ jì huà míng nián qù dōng jīng dōu liú xué, xué xí rì běn wén huà.
I plan to study abroad in Tokyo Metropolis next year to learn Japanese culture.
东京都，。
dōng jīng dōu De jiāo tōng xì tǒng fēi cháng fā dá, dì tiě xiàn lù fù gài quán shì.
The transportation system of Tokyo Metropolis is very developed, with subway lines covering the entire city.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

东京Tokyo

偏正Modifier + head

都dōumetropolis

东 (east) and 京 (capital) form Tokyo, and 都 marks it as a metropolis.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 東; 东 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 東 originally drew a full bag tied at both ends. The simplified 东 is a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

京 originally drew a tall building.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

邑邑yìtown, city

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

都 is built from 者, which supplies the sound, and 邑, meaning town or city.

Appears in