noun
central city; major regional city
Refers to a city that serves as the political, economic, or cultural hub of a region. Often used in geography, urban planning, or news contexts.
この県の中心都市は人口が最も多い。
The central city of this prefecture has the largest population.
その地域の中心都市として、多くの企業が集まっている。
As the major city in the region, many companies are concentrated there.
Compound of 中心 (center) and 都市 (city). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a common Sino-Japanese pattern for technical and geographical terms.