Definition

1. Noun:
   • Capital: The primary city of a country, typically housing the central government, its administrative offices, and often serving as the political and administrative center.
   • Metropolis: A major city, especially one that is the most important city in a country or region, though this meaning is secondary and often emphasizes size and importance rather than political function.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Hà Nội là thủ đô của Việt Nam. (Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam.)
  • Chính phủ đặt trụ sở tại thủ đô. (The government is headquartered in the capital.)
  • Thủ đô là trung tâm văn hóa và chính trị. (The capital is the cultural and political center.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is used in formal and official contexts to denote the seat of national governance. It can be part of compound terms describing related concepts.
• "thủ đô văn hóa": cultural capital.
  • Huế được coi là một thủ đô văn hóa của Việt Nam. (Hue is considered a cultural capital of Vietnam.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đô thị (n): urban area, city. A more general term for a city or metropolis.
  • Sài Gòn là một đô thị lớn. (Saigon is a large city.)
• Kinh đô (n): ancient capital, imperial capital. Often used historically or for former capitals.
  • Huế từng là kin đô của triều Nguyễn. (Hue was once the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty.)

Synonyms

• Capital: The city that is the official seat of government.
• Seat of government: The location where a government is based.
• Metropolis: A very large and important city.

Related Idioms

• While "thủ đô" itself is not commonly used in idioms, it appears in set phrases describing the character or role of the capital.
• Trái tim của thủ đô: The heart of the capital.
  • Hồ Gươm được xem là trái tim của thủ đô Hà Nội. (Hoan Kiem Lake is considered the heart of the capital Hanoi.)

noun

1. capital, metropolitan