城(chéng)
形声字“城”由形旁“土”和声旁“成”组成,本义是城墙。古代的城墙一般分为两层,“城”就是指里面的 那一层,由于古代的城市都围有城墙,因此“城”也就有了“城市”的意思。
Phonetic character “城”consists of two parts “土” and “成”. The original meaning was city wall. The ancient Chinese city wall included two layers, the inner and outer walls, and “城”means the inner wall. Since all cities in ancient times were enclosed with city wall, thus the “城” has the meaning of “city”.
城市(chéngshì):city
城市化(chéngshìhuà):urbanization
古城(gǔchéng): ancient city; old city
城堡(chéngbǎo):castle
中国城(zhōngguóchéng): Chinatown
城镇(chéngzhèn):town;cities and towns
Bālí shì Fǎguó zuìdà de chéngshì.
Paris is the largest city of France.
Zhōngguó miànlín shìjiè shàng zuìdà de chéngshìhuà wèntí.
China faces the world’s biggest issue of urbanization.
Nàzuò gǔchéng céngjīng shì yígè wénhuà zhōngxīn.
That ancient city was a centre of culture.
Zhèlǐ de chéngzhèn bèi chángqī de zhànzhēng cuīhuǐ le.
Cities and towns here were devastated by the long-term war.