A metropolis is a very large city that sits at the centre of a country or region — the city other towns look to for work, news, and power. The Greeks first used it for a “mother city”: a city that had sent people out to start new cities.

A metropolis大都會 is a very large city指的是一座非常大的城市 that sits at the centre of a country or region位在一個國家或區域的中心——the city other towns look to for work, news, and power其他城鎮會靠向它找工作、新聞和權力中心。The Greeks希臘人 first used it最早用這個字 for a “mother city”指「母城」：a city that had sent people out to start new cities一座曾經送人出去建立新城市的城市。

That old idea still hides in the word, but today speakers mostly mean the great main city. Taipei is the metropolis of Taiwan in this everyday sense. You can call New York or Tokyo a metropolis without thinking about colonies at all.

That old idea這個古老的概念 still hides in the word還藏在這個字裡面，but today speakers mostly mean但現在的人用起來大多是指 the great main city那座偉大的主要城市。Taipei台北 is the metropolis of Taiwan就是台灣的大都會 in this everyday sense在這個日常的意思上。You can call你可以稱 New York or Tokyo紐約或東京 a metropolis為大都會 without thinking about colonies at all完全不用想到殖民地那回事。

Though actually, a metropolis need not be the capital: New York is a metropolis, but Washington is the capital; Shanghai is a metropolis, but Beijing is the capital.

Though actually不過事實上，a metropolis need not be the capital大都會不一定是首都：New York is a metropolis紐約是大都會，but Washington is the capital但華盛頓才是首都；Shanghai is a metropolis上海是大都會，but Beijing is the capital但北京才是首都。

The word sounds a little grand, more like writing or news than “big city” in a child’s mouth. People use it when the city is important as well as large.

The word這個字 sounds a little grand聽起來有點氣派，more like writing or news than “big city” in a child’s mouth比較像書面或新聞用語，不像小孩子嘴裡的「大城市」那麼隨口。People use it人們會用這個字 when the city is important as well as large當那座城市不只大，還很重要的時候。

Nearby towns live in its shadow.

Nearby towns附近的城鎮 live in its shadow就活在它的陰影下。