inner-city
/ˌɪnə ˈsɪti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪnər ˈsɪti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌɪn.ə ˈsɪt.i/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪn.ɚ ˈsɪt̬.i/ (ame, ipa)
inner-city — noun
1. the older, run-down residential zone found near the middle of major cities, wher
the older, run-down residential zone found near the middle of major cities, where housing quality is low, jobs are few, and residents struggle with poverty and limited services
Anna volunteers at a youth club in the inner-city every Saturday morning.
in the inner-city — common prepositional phrase
The city council is building new low-cost apartments in the inner-city.
Quan opened a small grocery store in the inner-city after the factory closed down.
A new health clinic in the inner-city now offers free check-ups for children under five.
Meera works at an inner-city primary school where many pupils come from low-income families.
- city centre
geographical centre only, without the socioeconomic implication of poverty
- downtown
mainly US; usually refers to the commercial/business district, not necessarily poor
- slum
more negative; focuses on very poor housing conditions rather than location
- suburb
residential area on the outskirts of a city, typically wealthier
文法句型
the inner-city
in the inner-city
the inner-city + noun complement
用法筆記
Commonly used with the definite article: 'the inner-city'. The noun form is often written without a hyphen ('inner city') in modern usage.
常見錯誤
inner-city — adjective
1. found in or relating to poorer downtown residential districts, where housing is
found in or relating to poorer downtown residential districts, where housing is run-down, services are limited, and social problems such as crime and unemployment are widespread
Inner-city schools often receive extra government funding to support students in need.
Inner-city schools — very common collocation
The charity runs job-training programmes for young people in inner-city neighbourhoods.
Diego's photography project documents daily life in inner-city communities across Brazil.
Amani wrote her thesis on healthcare access in inner-city areas of Detroit.
New playgrounds and parks have turned several inner-city blocks into welcoming public spaces.
- suburban
relating to wealthier residential areas outside the city centre
文法句型
inner-city + noun
用法筆記
Always used before a noun (attributive only). You can say 'inner-city schools' but not 'the schools are inner-city'. The adjective is nearly always hyphenated.