Chinese word

镇

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhèn

Meaning

  • nountown

Example

他在这个镇开了家小店。tā zài zhè ge zhèn kāi le jiā xiǎo diàn

He opened a small shop in this town.

Illustration for 镇 (town)

More examples

古镇以保存完好的老建筑而闻名。gǔ zhèn yǐ bǎo cún wán hǎo de lǎo jiàn zhù ér wén míng

The old town is famous for its well-preserved old buildings.

Core concept

A small countryside hub linking scattered villages with regular markets, shops, and administrative services.

Common phrases

  • 镇上zhèn shàng

    in town

  • 古镇gǔ zhèn

    old town

  • 镇居民zhèn jū mín

    town residents

Similar words

小镇xiǎo zhèn: A small town centered on everyday living and routine shopping.
村cūn: A rural settlement whose residents mainly depend on farming.
乡xiāng: An administrative area made up of several villages or rural communities.
城市chéng shì: A major built-up area with a large population and strong commercial and government functions.

Definition in Chinese

规模介于村与市之间的基层定居点，常作为周边农村的商业和行政中心，设有集市与乡镇政府。guī mó jiè yú cūn yǔ shì zhī jiān de jī céng dìng jū diǎn cháng zuò wéi zhōu biān nóng cūn de shāng yè hé xíng zhèng zhōng xīn shè yǒu jí shì yǔ xiāng zhèn zhèng fǔ

Word origin

镇 (zhèn, "town") developed from the idea of a secured or garrisoned place, which naturally became a name for a settled local center.

Usage tips

  • The pattern 镇中心 (zhèn zhōngxīn, "town center") is useful for locating shops, offices, and services without suggesting the large scale that city-related words can suggest.

Opposites

Related words

  • 镇长zhèn zhǎngtown mayornoun
  • 镇区zhèn qūtown districtnoun

Word lists with this word