However, even this term often encompasses large suburban regions often greater than , sometimes only the urban core, whereas the agglomeration overtakes the city limits. Thus, the "urban core" would be roughly comparable to the American term "city limit", the "shì qū", or "urban area", would be roughly comparable to "metropolitan area", and the municipality is a political designation defining regions under control of a municipal government, which has no comparable designation.
However, even this term often includes large suburban areas that are sometimes greater than , or only the urban core. In contrast, an agglomeration encompasses a broader area beyond city limits. Thus, the "urban core" would be roughly equivalent to the American term "city limit", the "shì qū", or "urban area", which is comparable to "metropolitan area". The municipality serves as a political designation defining regions under control of a municipal government without an exact equivalent.