noun
urban area; metropolitan area; metropolitan region
Refers to a city and its surrounding commuter belt, often used in urban planning and demographics.
東京都市圏の人口は増え続けている。
The population of the Tokyo metropolitan area continues to grow.
この都市圏では交通渋滞が深刻だ。
Traffic congestion is severe in this urban area.
Refers to the capital region, especially the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Compound of 都市 (city) and 圏 (sphere, area). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term follows standard Sino-Japanese word formation.