1.
metropolis, big city, large urban area
A very large city with a high population and extensive urban development. Examples include Tokyo, New York, London, etc.
東京は世界的な大都会だ。
Tokyo is a world-class metropolis.
大都会での生活は忙しい。
Life in a big city is busy.
大都会から田舎に引っ越した。
I moved from the big city to the countryside.
大都会 means a large metropolis — not just any city, but a major metropolitan area with millions of people and extensive infrastructure.
WORD FORMATION:
大 (great, big) + 都会 (city, urban area).
USAGE:
Typically refers to cities like 東京, 大阪, 名古屋, ニューヨーク, ロンドン, etc. Carries a sense of excitement, opportunity, and sometimes overwhelm.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 都会: city, urban area (general)
- 都市: city (more formal/administrative)
- 大都市: large city (more formal equivalent of 大都会)
- 首都: capital city
CONTRAST:
- 大都会: big city (subjective, experiential)
- 田舎: countryside, rural area
- 郊外: suburbs