首都 shǒudū capital (city)
How to remember 首都: 首 head + 都 all = capital (city).
Characters
How it is used
- The capital city of a country - 北京是中国的首都 (Běijīng shì Zhōngguó de shǒudū) Beijing is China's capital.
- 首 (head/chief) + 都 (read dū, metropolis); note 都 is read dū here, not dōu.
- Contrast 省会 (shěnghuì) 'provincial capital'; 首都 is specifically the national capital.
Example sentences
- 北京是中国的首都。 Běijīng shì Zhōngguó de shǒudū.Beijing is China's capital.
- 日本的首都是东京。 Rìběn de shǒudū shì dōngjīng.The capital of Japan is Tokyo.
- 巴西的首都是巴西利亚。 Bāxī de shǒudū shì bāxīlìyà.The capital of Brazil is Brasilia.