县级市

A county-level city is a type of administrative division in China that has the status of a city but is still under the jurisdiction of a prefecture-level city or a province. It is an intermediate level between a county and a prefecture-level city.

The term 县级市 is composed of 县 (xiàn), meaning 'county,' 级 (jí), meaning 'level,' and 市 (shì), meaning 'city.' Together, they describe a city that is at the county level in China's administrative hierarchy.

County-level cities are commonly found in rural and semi-urban areas and often serve as regional centers for surrounding counties and townships. Understanding this term helps in comprehending China's complex administrative structure and how local governments function.