# Capital cities named "Capital City" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 23, 2015, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663 "2015-01-23T08:29:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/21 "2015-01-23T16:56:13Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > The kanji for Kyoto is 京都 Kyooto, with the second character meaning “city.” Kyoto does mean “Capital City” rather than “the capital.” In Japanese Tokyo is 東京都 Tookyooto. Eastern Capital City. Thanks for the correction ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/22 "2015-01-23T17:08:12Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > So why is The Capitol in the US capital city not a building named as a typo? /real question They have the same Latin root but that root already produced two different words in Latin. The root is _capit-_, meaning literally “head” and by extension “main part”; the derivations go via _capitolium_ (the building or area where the majority or the most important part of the government reside) and _capitalis_ (the city which “heads” a realm). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/23 "2015-01-23T17:14:28Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > So why is The Capitol in the US capital city not a building named as a typo? /real question Different words. A [capitol](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capitol) is a building; a [capital](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capital?show=0&t=1422033069) is a city. When capitalized, the Capitol refers to the U.S. capitol building (or one of many other capitol buildings). ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/24 "2015-01-23T17:19:36Z")
> [@skdo23](#): > > The “Windy Apple”. It’s the kind of place that makes a bum feel like a king. And it makes a king feel like some nutty, cuckoo, super-king. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/25 "2015-01-23T17:23:41Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Different words. A [capitol](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capitol) is a building; a [capital](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capital?show=0&t=1422033069) is a city. When capitalized, the Capitol refers to the U.S. capitol building (or one of many other capitol buildings). Oh, yes, that was my point. It was about the etymology that I thought someone has handy. I found this (lost the cite): Origin of CAPITOL Latin Capitolium, temple of Jupiter at Rome on the Capitoline hill First Known Use: 1679 Which still begs the question of Latin etymology. ETA: shit, just read **Nava**. But here’s a usage date. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/26 "2015-01-23T17:26:47Z")
Which particular question about Latin etymology? For _capitolium, capitoline, capita_, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/27 "2015-01-23T19:18:37Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Oh, yes, that was my point. It was about the etymology that I thought someone has handy. > > I found this (lost the cite): > Origin of CAPITOL > > Latin Capitolium, temple of Jupiter at Rome on the Capitoline hill > First Known Use: 1679 > Which still begs the question of Latin etymology. > > ETA: shit, just read **Nava**. But here’s a usage date. The name capitoline comes from _caput_ (head), too. According to Livy, the builders of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus found a severed head, which was taken as a portent that the city of Rome would be the head of a grand empire. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/28 "2015-01-23T21:19:54Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > ETA from previous post: What’s Watt? It is typically anglicized as “Wat”, which, according to the wiki thing, means “temple” or “temple grounds” (essentially, “place of the temple”, I would imagine). Of course, _Angkor Wat_ is what we call it now, they might have used a different name when it was the big thing. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/29 "2015-01-23T21:37:45Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > It is typically anglicized as “Wat”, which, according to the wiki thing, means “temple” or “temple grounds” (essentially, “place of the temple”, I would imagine). Of course, _Angkor Wat_ is what we call it now, they might have used a different name when it was the big thing. So _Wat_’s the name of the Temple on second base? ---
**Author:** ![Gretchion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8edcca/32.png) [@Gretchion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gretchion)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/30 "2015-01-23T22:33:54Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > So _Wat_’s the name of the Temple on second base? I don’t know ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/31 "2015-01-23T22:47:01Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Thanks for the correction Actually, you were right. 都 – read as _miyako_ does mean “capital.” However, the character isn’t exclusively used for places that are the seat of government, but also “special” cities. For instance, Venice is the _miyako_ of water. Both Japanese and Chinese dictionaries list “seat of government,” “place of residence of the emperor” and “important city” as meanings. ---
**Author:** ![Topologist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/topologist/32/3208_2.png) [@Topologist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Topologist)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/32 "2015-01-23T23:35:04Z")
> [@Gretchion](#): > > > [@CalMeacham](#): > > > > So _Wat_’s the name of the Temple on second base? > > I don’t know Third base! ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/33 "2015-01-24T00:05:25Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > So _Wat_’s the name of the Temple on second base? yes ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/34 "2015-01-24T00:44:56Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Yes, assuming that their “Capital City” is, in fact, the capital city of their state. Do we know that for sure? Yes. It is the capital of the state which also contains Springfield. It is the tenth state capital if you rank them embiggening alphabetically. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/35 "2015-01-24T00:59:09Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Different species, however: Mountain Gazelle _Gazella gazella_ and Impala _Aepyceros melampus_. I love the Dope! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/36 "2015-01-24T01:20:18Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Yes. It is the capital of the state which also contains Springfield. It is the tenth state capital if you rank them embiggening alphabetically. Could that be the state of Cromule? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/37 "2015-01-24T01:31:23Z")
> [@Flywheel](#): > > It’s the kind of place that makes a bum feel like a king. And it makes a king feel like some nutty, cuckoo, super-king. Look! It’s 4th Street and D. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/38 "2015-01-24T03:03:26Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > yes I’m an excellent driver. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/39 "2015-01-24T05:55:07Z")
> [@jovan](#): > > Actually, you were right. 都 – read as _miyako_ does mean “capital.” However, the character isn’t exclusively used for places that are the seat of government, but also “special” cities. For instance, Venice is the _miyako_ of water. > > Both Japanese and Chinese dictionaries list “seat of government,” “place of residence of the emperor” and “important city” as meanings. It’s not as clear cut as to say that Kyoto only means “Capital” and not “Capital City.” 京　also has the reading of _miyako_. I’m not sure why they would have chosen to use two characters with the same meaning. You’re down in Kansai, though so perhaps you know better. As you noted 都 _to_ does have a meaning of “capital” and has been used to designate cities where the emperor resided in without 京　_kyoo_. 都 _to_　along with the meaning of special city, also has the meaning of urban such as in 都会 _tokai_. Recalling from somewhere the meaning for Kyoto came from (the) capital in a large city as previous heads of governments were in smaller cities. I would have to research it more to find the details. However, what I remember is correct, the meaning would be closer to “Capital City” in contrast to “Capital.” ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663/40 "2015-01-24T09:41:32Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > It’s not as clear cut as to say that Kyoto only means “Capital” and not “Capital City.” 京　also has the reading of _miyako_. I’m not sure why they would have chosen to use two characters with the same meaning. I had to look it up, but in Classical Chinese, the place of residence of the emperor was known as 京師. A number of places throughout Eastern Asia were referred to by this term, including Heian (modern day Kyoto.) The character 師 at one time had the meaning of a large gathering of people. Eventually, though, it became more associated with a _person_ leading many people. Nowadays, it means “master.” 京師 thus looked like a person rather than a place, and the second character was replaced with 都. Etymologically, this character is made up of two parts that meant “receptacle” and “dwelling.” The earliest usages were to refer to cities from which authority was exerted. Hence, I think both “capital capital” and “capital city” are valid but not quite accurate readings. Kyoto got its first character because it’s where the emperor lived. The second character was added because it was (for a time) the centre of political power. Nowadays, except as part of compounds such as 都市 (city), 都 (as _miyako_) by itself is only used to refer to “special” cities. Venice, for instance, is the _miyako_ of water. To further add to confusion, as you surely well know, 都 (as _to_) refers to a type of prefectural government. Now there’s only Tokyo-to, but we might have Osaka-to if mayor Hashimoto has his way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/capital-cities-named-capital-city/710663.md?page=3)