号称…
to be known as; to be billed as (sometimes more than the truth)
Structure
主语 号称 名称／数字
What it means
“To be known as; to be billed as”: it gives a famous name, or a claim that may be bigger than the truth.
How it is built
Subject + 号称 + name or figure: 重庆到处是山坡，号称“山城” (Chongqing is all hills and is known as “the Mountain City”). For an inflated claim, 其实 or 实际 often follows.
When to use it
Neutral for a well-known name, sceptical when 其实 follows: 号称百万大军. For “be called” use 被称为; for a name given in praise, 被誉为 (4-3). 自称 is a claim about oneself; 称赞 means to praise.
Watch out
号称 is active and takes no 被. ✗ 重庆被号称“山城” ✓ 重庆号称“山城” or 重庆被称为“山城”.
Examples
紫禁城号称有九千九百九十九间半房屋，实际只有九千间左右。
The Forbidden City is said to have 9,999 and a half rooms, though in fact it has about nine thousand.
重庆到处是山坡，号称“山城”。
Chongqing is all hills and slopes, and is known as “the Mountain City”.
这家健身房号称全市最大，其实还没有我们学校的体育馆大。
This gym bills itself as the biggest in the city, but it’s actually smaller than our school sports hall.
Learn this in Lesson 96 · HSK 6–7: 从乞丐到皇帝：明朝 (From beggar to emperor: the Ming)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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