suburb

suburb — noun

1. A residential neighbourhood close to the boundary of a large city, where many of

1.名詞B1
釋義

A residential neighbourhood close to the boundary of a large city, where many of the people who work downtown live and commute from each day.

例句

The Kwok family left the city centre for a quiet suburb with more space.

move from + [centre] + to + [suburb]

Each morning, Asher takes the train from his suburb into the city for work.

travel from + [suburb] + into + [city]

同義詞
  • outskirts

    plural; refers to the very edge of a city rather than a named residential district

  • commuter town

    a separate town whose residents travel to a larger city for work; more specific than suburb

  • residential area

    broader; any area where people live, not necessarily on the city edge

反義詞
  • city centre

    the central business and shopping district of a city

  • downtown

    especially in American English, the main commercial area

文法句型

a suburb of [city]

the suburbs of [city]

in a suburb / in the suburbs

move to the suburbs

live in the suburbs

用法筆記

Countable noun. When referring to the general suburban area around a city as a whole, the plural 'the suburbs' is more common than the singular 'a suburb'. Use 'of' to name the nearest city: a suburb of Tokyo, the suburbs of London.

常見錯誤

I live at a suburb of Taipei.
I live in a suburb of Taipei.
💡use 'in' with suburb, not 'at'.
The suburb is far from the city.
A suburb is on the edge of the city, within commuting distance.
💡suburbs are near the city boundary, not far away.
Suburb is quieter than the city.
The suburbs are quieter than the city centre.
💡use the definite article and plural form when speaking generally.

2. The parts of a town that lie outside the central shopping and business district,

2.名詞B1
釋義

The parts of a town that lie outside the central shopping and business district, where most houses are located.

例句

Lucía prefers the suburbs because the streets are quieter than the town centre.

in the suburbs (contrast: town centre)

Most of the town's gyms and restaurants are in the centre, not in the suburbs.

同義詞
  • outskirts

    the very edge of a town; overlaps with suburbs but also includes non-residential land

  • periphery

    more formal, neutral term for the outer boundary of any area

反義詞
  • town centre

    the central district with shops, businesses, and public buildings

  • city centre

    the equivalent in a larger city

文法句型

in the suburbs

to the suburbs

the suburbs of [town]

contrast with: in the centre / downtown

用法筆記

Almost always used in the plural ('the suburbs') when describing the outer zone of a town. Most natural in contrastive sentences that set the suburbs against the centre or downtown.

常見錯誤

Let's meet at a café in the suburbs.
Let's meet at a café in the town centre.
💡in small towns, social venues are concentrated in the centre, not the suburbs.