Definition
直辖市 (zhí xiá shì) refers to a city that is directly under the central government, with the same administrative rank as a province. There are only four in China: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing. It is a specific political-geographic term, not a general word for 'city' (城市).
noun
municipality (city directly under the central government, equal in status to a province)
Examples
- 直辖市。zhí xiá shì shì Zhōngguó zuì gāo jíbié de chéngshì zhī yī.Municipalities are one of the highest-level cities in China.
- 、、直辖市。Běijīng, Tiānjīn, Shànghǎi hé Chóngqìng shì Zhōngguó de sì gè zhí xiá shì.Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Chongqing are China's four municipalities.
- 直辖市。zhí xiá shì de shìzhǎng hé shěngzhǎng píng jí.The mayor of a municipality is at the same level as a provincial governor.
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