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In the following sentence:

最具魅力的市区町村排行榜前三位依次为京都市，函馆市，札幌市。这是自2013年以来，京都市时隔4年第二次位居榜首。

MDBG dictionary shows the following meanings:

tool / device / utensil / equipment / instrument / talent / ability / to possess / to have / to provide / to furnish / to state / classifier for devices, coffins, dead bodies

However, I don't understand what meaning 具 takes here. At first I thought it works as a measure word, but the classifiers on the dictionary are devices, coffins, dead bodies, so the word 市区町村 may not qualify for taking the classifier, I guess.

But otherwise, I don't understand what 具 works for here. So what does 具 work as here (e.g. noun, verb, adverb, adjective, measure word, etc...) and what is the meaning of it? And what is the difference between 最具魅力的 and 最魅力的?

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  • 市 in 京都市，函馆市，札幌市 should be omitted, Just like most people calling Beijing as 北京 in China. . The term 北京市 is rarely used. (and 香港市 is not even a thing. )
    – Tang Ho ♦
    Commented Oct 12, 2017 at 19:03
  • xx市 is commonly used in formal written and spoken Chinese. For example, it's commonly put in a mail address as 北京市朝阳区..., 上海市静安区....。Also, in a government report, you would see 上海市城市建设...， 北京市市长， ... We rarely say 香港市 because the government named it as 香港特别行政区 and historically 香港 is just a district.(we don't know if it's a province, a city or any other type of thing before the government officially named it. )
    – dan
    Commented Oct 12, 2017 at 23:40

2 Answers 2

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具 here short for 具有(possess/ have)

具 can be short for 具備 (equip with) in other context

魅力 = charm (n)

具魅力 = have charm (verb + noun)

具魅力的 (the adjective marker 的 turns the verb phrase 具魅力 into an adjectival phrase (that with charm) = charming

[最][具魅力的] = [the most] [charming]

And what is the difference between 最具魅力的 and 最魅力的?

最魅力 put the adverb 最(most) directly before the noun 魅力 (charm). It is grammatically incorrect.

(Although people do say "most fun" in English, turning the noun "fun" into an adjective, "charm" is not this kind of noun)

If you shorten 具魅力的 to 魅力的, then the two phrases would mean the same:

  • [最][具魅力的] ([adverb] + [adjective]) = [the most charming]
  • [最][(具)魅力的] ([adverb] + [adjective]) = [the most charming]

But I don't think it is a good practice. If you could shorten 具魅力的都市 to 魅力的都市, you could shorten 有勇氣的人 to 勇氣的人. That would sound really awkward. Not to mention 魅力的都市 could be interpreted as "Charm's city" and 勇氣的人 could be interpreted as "Brave's people"

So the answer to this question is - "最具魅力的 and 最魅力的 mean the same, but it is better not omitting 具"

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  • That makes sence! I wondered why it must be 最有魅力的, since if you use 可爱, it's ok to say 最可爱. But I forgot 魅力 is a noun while 可爱 is adjective!
    – Blaszard
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 10:56
  • BTW 具 means 具有 here but 有 is omitted; is this kind of words common?
    – Blaszard
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 10:57
  • @Blaszard - Yes, shorten a two character word to just one is very common, because (1. ) the two characters in those words usually carry the similar meaning. For example, 我明白 can be reduced to 我明(白) (2.) the context would give clear hint on what character is omitted, For example, 颇為了得 (quite skilled) can be reduced to 颇(為)了得
    – Tang Ho ♦
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 14:48
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具 is 具有; roughly to have, to possess

http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&searchid=Z00000097022

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