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.
The central city of this prefecture has the largest population.
As the major city in the region, many companies are concentrated there.
主要都市 means 'major city' in a general sense, while 中心都市 emphasizes the city's role as a central hub within a specific region.
中枢都市 is a more technical term for a core city with high-level urban functions, often used in official classifications.
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.