Tokyo Metropolis; metropolitan prefecture
Refers specifically to the Tokyo Metropolitan administrative area (東京都). Also used for other metropolitan prefectures like Osaka and Kyoto in official contexts.
See also: 東京都
東京都は日本の首都です。
Tokyo Metropolis is the capital of Japan.
都の条例が
counter for cities and towns
Used in formal or statistical contexts to count administrative divisions. Not used in everyday conversation.
この県には五つの都がある。
There are five cities in this prefecture.
Archaic or literary term for a capital city. In modern Japanese, 首都 (しゅと) is the standard word.
See also: 都 (みやこ)
古都京都はかつて日本の都だった。
Ancient Kyoto was once the capital of Japan.
The metropolitan ordinance was revised.
首都 is the standard modern word for a capital city, while 都 in this sense is an archaic or literary term rarely used alone in modern speech.
都 refers specifically to Tokyo Metropolis, whereas 府 designates the other two special urban prefectures, Osaka and Kyoto.
Written with the same kanji, 都 read みやこ is the classical/poetic word for 'capital' (especially Kyoto), whereas 都 read と is the modern administrative term used for Tokyo Metropolis and as a counter.
都 is used only for Tokyo (東京都), while 県 covers the other 43 ordinary prefectures.
都 refers specifically to Tokyo Metropolis, whereas 都道府県 collectively names all four types of top-level divisions including 都.
ancient city; former capital
city; town; urban; municipal
capital city; capital; metropolis
within the Tokyo metropolitan area; in Tokyo
city; urban area · Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly
city center; downtown; heart of a city
governor of Tokyo; metropolitan governor
Tokyo resident; Tokyoite; citizen of Tokyo
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
The kanji 都 has been used historically to denote a capital or large city. The reading と is the on'yomi, commonly used in compounds. The specific administrative sense for Tokyo Metropolis is a modern usage.
metropolitan government management; operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
metropolitan; Tokyo Metropolitan Government-run
castle town
Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member; metropolitan assembly member
Tokyo metropolitan government; Tokyo metropolitan administration
new capital
imperial capital
state capital; provincial capital; county town
relocation of the capital; transfer of the capital
Tokyo Metropolitan Tramway; metropolitan tram
transfer of the capital
Tokyo and other prefectures; prefectures (excl. Kyoto, Osaka, Hokkaido)
Tokyo municipal road
the Eastern Capital; Edo; Yedo
Tokyo's 23 special wards
in the capital; in Tokyo · Western Tokyo; areas of Tokyo outside the 23 wards
city gas; mains gas; piped gas
the three great cities (Edo, Kyoto, Osaka)
main city; major city
the whole metropolis; the entire capital · all of Tokyo; the whole of Tokyo
national capital; capital city
great city; large city; metropolis