首都
HSK 4 (exam 2025)HSK 3 (2021)Old HSK 4
首都 (shǒudū) · capital (city)
首都 (shǒudū) means “capital (city)”. It is written with 2 characters: 首 (measure word for songs and poems) + 都 (all). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 首都 is built
The characters
首 shǒu · measure word for songs and poems
What 首 is made of
- 丷ha — kwukyel
- 丶 — dot
- 自zì — self
- 目mù — eye
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 二 — two strokes
- 目mù — eye
Origin hint: A deer's head 自 adorned with antlers 丷 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
都 dōu · all
What 都 is made of
- 者zhě — that which
- 耂lǎo — old
- 土tǔ — earth
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 日rì — sun; day
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 耂lǎo — old
- 阝fù / yì (names) — mound/city side-form
- 丨 — vertical stroke
Origin hint: 阝 gives the meaning, 者 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
北京是中国的首都。Běijīng shì Zhōngguó de shǒudū.Beijing is the capital of China.
你们国家的首都在哪儿？Nǐmen guójiā de shǒudū zài nǎr?Where is the capital of your country?
Questions about 首都
What does 首都 mean?
首都 (shǒudū) means “capital (city)”.
How do you pronounce 首都?
首都 is pronounced shǒudū.
Which HSK level is 首都?
首都 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Related words
- 首先shǒuxiānfirst
- 首饰shǒushìjewellery
- 首要shǒuyàomost important
- 元首yuánshǒuhead of state
- 首shǒumeasure word for songs and poems
- 全都quándōuall
- 都dōuall
Learn 首都 with its group
It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 85: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.