metropolis · capital

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on readings are と or つ, and the kun reading is みやこ. It has 11 strokes. It appears in words for cities and capital cities.
• Basic usage: 都会 is read とかい, and 首都 is read しゅと.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 都会 / 首都
  • 都会 means city or urban area and is read とかい. It refers to a city or urban area.
  • 都会を離れ、海辺の静かな町へ移り住んだ。 means “I left the city and moved to a quiet town by the sea.”
  • 首都 means capital city and is read しゅと. It refers to the capital city of a country.
  • その国の首都は大きな川のそばにある。 means “The country's capital lies beside a large river.”