metro
/ˈmetrəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmetrəʊ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈme-(ˌ)trō in French context also mā-ˈtrō/ (ame, mw) · /ˈmet.rəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmet.roʊ/ (ame, ipa)
metro — noun
- metrosingular
- metrosplural
1. a city train system that runs through tunnels built beneath the streets, allowin
a city train system that runs through tunnels built beneath the streets, allowing passengers to travel quickly from one part of town to another
Tuan rides the Paris metro every morning to reach his office before rush hour ends.
collocation: 'ride / take the metro'
The Paris metro is one of the oldest underground systems in the world.
A new metro line connecting the airport to the city centre opened last month.
The Kim family found the metro station nearest their Seoul hotel only two blocks away.
Travelers reach the Prado Museum faster by Madrid metro than by taxi across town.
- subway
more common in American English
- underground
more common in British English
- tube
used specifically for the London Underground
文法句型
the metro
metro + noun (metro station, metro line)
用法筆記
In American English, 'subway' is the more common term in most cities, while 'metro' is used in Washington DC and a few other places. In British English, 'underground' or 'tube' (for London) are used alongside 'metro' for systems in other cities. The word is almost always used with the definite article: 'the metro.'
常見錯誤
2. a very large city and the surrounding towns that function together as a single u
a very large city and the surrounding towns that function together as a single urban region
Tendai chose a major metro over her small hometown for work after graduating.
collocation: 'major metro'
Among Asian metros, Manila has seen some of the fastest population growth.
Romi endures a crowded metro for its job opportunities, despite the exhausting noise.
Kenji left a crowded metro for a quiet coastal town and a slower pace of life.
- metropolis
more formal and literary in tone
- megalopolis
refers to an extremely large, sprawling urban area, often formed when several cities merge
文法句型
a + metro
the + place name + metro
用法筆記
This sense is a shortened form of 'metropolis' and is most common in planning, demographics, and journalism contexts. It often refers to the entire urban region rather than just the central city.
常見錯誤
metro — adjective
- metropositive
- more metrocomparative
- most metrosuperlative
1. describing or connected with a big city together with the suburbs and smaller to
describing or connected with a big city together with the suburbs and smaller towns that surround and depend on it
The metro area includes the main city and all the smaller towns around it.
collocation: 'metro area' for city + suburbs
Andrei writes for a metro newspaper covering politics and business across the entire region.
Metro housing prices in Taipei are nearly three times those in the surrounding countryside.
The metro population around Phoenix grew twenty percent in five years as factories opened.
Folake works for the metro transit authority, which runs all city buses and trains.
- metropolitan
the full-length version; more formal and more common in British English
- urban
broader in meaning, covering any city or town, not just large ones
文法句型
metro + noun
用法筆記
This adjective always comes before the noun it describes (attributive use only). Common in official titles and statistics: 'metro area,' 'metro population,' 'metro region.' It is a shortened form of 'metropolitan' and is more common in American than British English.