Japanese dictionary
How to say "city" in Japanese
市し · shi
"City" in Japanese depends on the meaning. An official city is 市 (shi), as in 横浜市 (Yokohama City). A big city in general is 都市 (toshi) or 都会 (tokai).
▶ plays native audio. Audio on this site plays when you are logged in to your free japanese.ccn.jp account (the same account as Japanese Talk by CCN).
Ways to say "city" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 市し · shi | City (as a local government). |
| 都市とし · toshi | City; urban area. |
| 町まち · machi | Town; the city (in conversation). |
| 都会とかい · tokai | The big city (vs. the countryside). |
How to use it
In conversation, people often say 町 (machi) for their city or town.
City hall is 市役所 (shiyakusho). Tokyo's 23 wards each have a ward office, 区役所 (kuyakusho).
Example sentences
- 横浜市に住んでいます。Yokohama-shi ni sunde imasu.I live in Yokohama City.
- 市役所で住所の届け出をしました。Shiyakusho de jūsho no todokede o shimashita.I registered my address at city hall.
- 東京は世界の大都市の一つです。Tōkyō wa sekai no daitoshi no hitotsu desu.Tokyo is one of the world's great cities.
- 都会の生活は便利です。Tokai no seikatsu wa benri desu.Life in the big city is convenient.
- この町が好きです。Kono machi ga suki desu.I like this city.
- 京都は古い都市です。Kyōto wa furui toshi desu.Kyoto is an old city.
Questions
What is the difference between 市 and 都市?
市 (shi) is an official city unit, as in 大阪市. 都市 (toshi) means a city in general, as in 大都市 (a big city).
Where do you register your address in Japan?
At your city hall (市役所) or ward office (区役所) within 14 days of moving in.
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.