mainland
gb/mˈeɪnlˌænd/ us/mˈeɪnlˌænd/
B1
English
~ 7400
szárazföld, szárazföldi, kontinentális
NOUN
B1
1
szárazföld
B1
Usage pattern:
on the mainland
After a week on the island, they took the ferry back to the mainland.
Egy hét után a szigeten komppal mentek vissza a szárazföldre.
Many young people leave the islands to find work on the mainland.
Sok fiatal elhagyja a szigeteket, hogy a szárazföldön találjon munkát.
Tourists often visit smaller islands as a day trip from the mainland.
The storm cut the village off from the mainland for three days.
Mainland Europe can be reached by train from London via the Channel Tunnel.
Learner examples
We took a boat from the island to the mainland.
Hajóval mentünk a szigetről a szárazföldre.
There are more jobs on the mainland than on the small islands.
A szárazföldön több munka van, mint a kis szigeteken.
The bridge connects the island to the mainland.
Strong winds stopped all flights to the mainland.
She moved from the island to the mainland to study.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes write it as two words ("main land") or confuse it with "continent". "Mainland" is usually used with "the" ("the mainland"), and often in contrast with a specific island or group of islands.
Meaning
main landmass, not islands
Collocations
the mainland
|on the mainland
|return to the mainland
|mainland Europe
|mainland China
|reach the mainland
Synonyms
continent (Often refers to a whole continental landmass (like Africa or Europe), while "mainland" is usually the main part of one country or region compared with its islands.)
Antonyms
island (An island is a piece of land surrounded by water, while the mainland is the main body of land not separated in this way.)
Themes
geography
|travel
|politics
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The main big area of land of a country or region, not including its islands.
The main continuous land area of a country, continent, or region, considered separately from its islands or outlying territories.
B2
2
szárazföldi
B1
Usage pattern:
mainland [noun]
Mainland tourists arrive every summer to enjoy the island’s beaches.
Minden nyáron szárazföldi turisták érkeznek, hogy élvezzék a sziget strandjait.
Property prices are much higher in mainland cities than on the surrounding islands.
A szárazföldi városokban sokkal magasabbak az ingatlanárak, mint a környező szigeteken.
Some islanders worry that mainland culture is changing their traditional way of life.
The island depends heavily on mainland supplies during the winter months.
Mainland schools follow a different curriculum from those on the islands.
Learner examples
Many mainland visitors come to the island in July.
Júliusban sok szárazföldi látogató jön a szigetre.
She wants to move from her island village to a mainland town.
Azt szeretné, ha a szigetfalujából egy szárazföldi kisvárosba költözhetne.
The island shop sells many products from mainland factories.
Mainland workers travel to the island by ferry every day.
We listened to a radio station from a mainland city.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "mainland" with "mainstream". "Mainland" refers to geography (land and islands), while "mainstream" refers to what is usual or popular in a society.
Meaning
from or relating to the mainland
Collocations
mainland tourists
|mainland residents
|mainland market
|mainland cities
|mainland culture
|mainland visitors
Synonyms
continental (Often used for things relating to the main European continent or another continent in general; "mainland" is more directly about contrast with nearby islands.)
Antonyms
island (As an adjective (e.g. "island culture", "island residents"), it describes something from or related to an island, in contrast to "mainland".)
Themes
geography
|travel
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
From the main land area of a country or region, not from its islands.
Relating to, coming from, or located in the mainland as opposed to the islands or outlying territories.
Grammar
Dictionary form
mainland
IPA
GB/mˈeɪnlˌænd/
US/mˈeɪnlˌænd/
Syllables & stress
main - land (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (main)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: mainland
Noun
- Base: mainland
Word family
Related words
mainlander
noun
Expressions
mainland China
1/mˈeɪnlˌænd t͡ʃˈaɪnə/
fixed phrase
China excluding certain regions
The part of China that is the large main land area, not including Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan.
Examples
- Many companies manufacture their products in mainland China.
- Travel rules for visitors from mainland China are different from those for local residents.
- She grew up in Hong Kong but later moved to mainland China for work.
mainland Europe
1/mˈeɪnlˌænd jˈʊɹəp/
fixed phrase
continental Europe, not islands
The part of Europe that is one large piece of land, not islands like Great Britain or Ireland.
Examples
- Trains from London connect directly to mainland Europe through the Channel Tunnel.
- Food prices are often lower in mainland Europe than in the UK.
- They spent their holiday driving across mainland Europe.
the mainland
1/ðə mˈeɪnlˌænd/
fixed phrase
the main land area, not islands
The main big area of land of a country or region, not its islands, when talking about a specific place.
Examples
- Ferries to the mainland run every two hours.
- During winter, heavy snow can cut the village off from the mainland.
- Many young people leave the island for better jobs on the mainland.