……
Note
都市 is more generic than 市 and refers to the concept of a city as a populated and developed area. It doesn't necessarily imply a political or administrative boundary like 市 does. The term 都市 is more comparable to the English use of urban area or metropolis.
Breakdown of tosi
city
市
metropolis
都
If someone is surrounded by walls no matter whether they're inside or outside, they must be in a metropolis.
Usages of tosi
その 都市 の 人口 は 百万人 です。sono tosi no zinkou ha hyakumannin desu.
That city has a population of 1 million.
人口 が 少ない 都市zinkou ga sukunai tosi
a city with a small population
人口 が 少ない 都市 に 住みたい です。zinkou ga sukunai tosi ni sumitai desu.
I want to live in a city with a small population.
Test yourself: What does tosi mean?
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do verb conjugations work in Japanese?”
Japanese verbs conjugate based on tense, politeness, and mood. For example, the polite present form adds ‑ます to the verb stem, while the past tense uses ‑ました. Unlike English, Japanese verbs don't change based on the subject — the same form works for "I", "you", and "they".
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning JapaneseMaster Japanese — from tosi to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions