郊区 jiāoqū suburbs
suburbs; outskirts
How to remember 郊区: 郊 suburbs + 区 area = suburbs.
Characters
How it is used
- A plain noun for the outer, less-developed part of a city - 他住在郊区 (tā zhù zài jiāoqū) he lives in the suburbs.
- Contrasts with 市区 (shìqū, downtown/urban area) - the pair 市区/郊区 is the standard city-vs-suburb split in Chinese.
- Neutral, everyday register, common in real estate, commuting, and travel talk.
Example sentences
- 我们住在郊区。 Wǒmen zhù zài jiāoqū.We live in the suburbs.
- 我在城市上班，但是住在郊区。 Wǒ zài chéngshì shàngbān, dànshì zhùzài jiāoqū.I work in the city, but live in the suburbs.
- 要住在郊区的话，汽车是必需的。 Yào zhù zài jiāoqū dehuà, qìchē shì bìxū de.A car is a must for life in the suburbs.