Meaning of 内地
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- inland
- interior
- hinterland
- mainland China (PRC excluding Hong Kong and Macau, but including islands such as Hainan)
- Japan (used in Taiwan during Japanese colonization)
How to use 内地
内地 is used for inland areas far from the sea or borders, and in Hong Kong and Macau it is the common word for mainland China. Example: 他从香港搬到内地工作。(Tā cóng Xiānggǎng bān dào nèidì gōngzuò.) He moved from Hong Kong to the mainland for work.
内 (nèi) means inside and 地 (dì) means land, so 内地 is the land on the inside, away from the coast or border.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 肉 (ròu, meat) instead of 内, since they look alike. 内 has 人 inside 冂, while 肉 has two 人 shapes. Also keep both syllables in the fourth tone: nèidì.
内地 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
内 nèi · inside · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
地 de · -ly · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 内地.
| 地方 | dìfang | region; regional (away from the central administration) |
| 地上 | dìshang | on the ground; on the floor |
| 地点 | dìdiǎn | place; site |
| 地图 | dìtú | map |
| 地球 | dìqiú | the earth |
| 地铁 | dìtiě | underground railway; subway; subway train |
| 草地 | cǎodì | lawn; meadow |
| 外地 | wàidì | parts of the country other than where one is |
| 地铁站 | dìtiězhàn | subway station |
| 地区 | dìqū | region; area (informal or geographical term); prefecture (in China's administrative system |
| 内心 | nèixīn | heart; innermost being; (math.) incenter |
| 内容 | nèiróng | content; substance; details |
Questions about 内地
What does 内地 mean?
内地 (nèidì) means "inland; interior" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 内地?
内地 is made of 2 characters: 内 (4 strokes), 地 (6 strokes). That is 10 strokes in total.
Is 内地 an HSK word?
Yes. 内地 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 内地 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 内地 is written 內地.
What is the difference between 内地 and 大陆 (dàlù)?
Both can refer to mainland China. 内地 is the usual term in Hong Kong and Macau, while 大陆 is more common when speaking in relation to Taiwan. 大陆 also simply means continent.
Does 内地 always mean mainland China?
No. In a general sense it means inland or interior regions, such as the inland provinces of a country away from the coast. The context tells you which meaning is intended.