What Does 都 Mean in Japanese?
都 refers to a capital, metropolis, or major urban center.
It appears in words such as 都市, 都会, and 首都.
Be careful with 都合, where the kanji is part of a word meaning circumstances or convenience.
Reading
On’yomi: ト (to), ツ (tsu)
Kun’yomi: みやこ (miyako)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 都 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | metropolis, capital |
| Stroke Count | 11 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
How to Understand This Kanji
都 can refer to a capital city or a large urban area. It also appears in administrative names such as 東京都 and in the common word 都合, whose meaning is not directly related to cities.
Common Words
- 都市（とし / toshi） — city, urban area
- 都会（とかい / tokai） — city, urban life
- 首都（しゅと / shuto） — capital city
- 都心（としん / toshin） — city center
- 都合（つごう / tsugou） — circumstances, convenience
- 京都（きょうと / Kyouto） — Kyoto
Example Sentences
-
東京は日本の首都です。
とうきょうはにほんのしゅとです。 / Toukyou wa Nihon no shuto desu.
Tokyo is the capital of Japan.
-
都会の生活は便利です。
とかいのせいかつはべんりです。 / Tokai no seikatsu wa benri desu.
Life in the city is convenient.
-
明日は都合が悪いです。
あしたはつごうがわるいです。 / Ashita wa tsugou ga warui desu.
Tomorrow is not convenient for me.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
The on’yomi ト is common in 都市, 首都, and 都会. The kun’yomi みやこ refers to a capital, especially in historical or literary contexts.
Summary
都 means metropolis or capital and is useful for understanding urban, administrative, and travel vocabulary.