Forbidden City
Americannoun
noun
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Lhasa, Tibet: once famed for its inaccessibility and hostility to strangers
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a walled section of Beijing, China, enclosing the Imperial Palace and associated buildings of the former Chinese Empire
Etymology
Origin of Forbidden City
First recorded in 1845–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
During his first term, China feted him like a favorite prince with various ceremonies: a private tour of the Forbidden City, followed by a performance by the Peking Opera and a huge state dinner.
From Salon • May 14, 2026
In November 2017, Xi honored Trump by making him the first foreign leader to dine in Beijing’s Forbidden City since the founding of modern China in 1949.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
On his previous trip, Trump received the rare honor of a state banquet inside the Forbidden City.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
On Thursday, Merz is to visit Beijing's Forbidden City, then a Mercedes plant where autonomously driving vehicles will be presented.
From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026
He opened like the great gates of the Forbidden City.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
