Usage note
城可以用来指代城市，比如北京城、上海城。
chéng kě yǐ lái yòng dé zhì dài chéng shì, bǐ rú běijīnghéng, shànghǎihéng.
The word 城 can be used to refer to cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai.
Context note
城通常用来描述城市，例如在谈论城市的建筑、人口或历史时。
chéng tōng cháng lái yòng dé zhì dài chéng shì, rú kě zài tánlùn chéng shì de jiànzhù, rénkǒu huò lìshǐ shí.
The word 城 is usually used to describe cities, for example when talking about the architecture, population or history of a city.
5 examples
北京城很大。
běi jīng chéng hěn dà。
Beijing is very big.
上海城有很多高楼。
shàng hǎi chéng yǒu hěn duō gāo lóu。
Shanghai has many tall buildings.
我们去参观了苏州古城。
wǒ men qù cān guān le sū zhōu gǔ chéng。
We visited the ancient city of Suzhou.
长城是中国的著名景点之一。
cháng chéng shì zhōng guó de zhù míng jǐng diǎn zhī yī。
The Great Wall is one of China's famous tourist attractions.
城里的公园很多。
chéng lǐ de gōng yuán hěn duō。
There are many parks in the city.
5 mini stories
我们住在苏州古城附近，每天早上都会去逛逛。
wǒ men zhù zài sū zhōu gǔ chéng fù jìn， měi tiān zǎo shàng dōu huì qù guàng guàng。
We live near the ancient city of Suzhou and go for a walk there every morning.
爸爸带我去参观了北京城的长城。
bà ba dài wǒ qù cān guān le běi jīng chéng de cháng chéng。
Dad took me to visit the Great Wall in Beijing.
上海城有很多美食，我们去了几家。
shàng hǎi chéng yǒu hěn duō měi shí， wǒ men qù le jǐ jiā。
Shanghai has many delicious foods; we tried a few places.
苏州古城有很多美丽的园林。
sū zhōu gǔ chéng yǒu hěn duō měi lì de yuán lín。
The ancient city of Suzhou has many beautiful gardens.
长城是世界著名的建筑之一。
cháng chéng shì shì jiè zhù míng de jiàn zhù zhī yī。
The Great Wall is one of the world's famous buildings.
Mini dialogue
去城里
A
周末你想去哪里？
Zhōumò nǐ xiǎng qù nǎlǐ?
Where do you want to go this weekend?
B
我想去城里看奶奶。
Wǒ xiǎng qù chéng lǐ kàn nǎinai.
I want to go to the city to visit grandma.
古城
A
这座城真漂亮！
Zhè zuò chéng zhēn piàoliang!
This city is so beautiful!
B
是啊，它是一座古城。
Shì a, tā shì yī zuò gǔ chéng.
Yes, it is an ancient city.
Related words and contrasts
similar
城市
chéng shì
city
城市 is the full word for city, while 城 can be a shorter form or part of a name.
contrast
镇
zhèn
town
A town is smaller than a city.