Cardboard cities
Cardboard cities
Pronunciation
IPA Phonetic Spelling:
/ˈkɑːɹdˌbɔːɹd ˈsɪtiz/
Syllable Breakdown:
Card: /kɑːɹd/ - The sound is a "k" followed by a long "ah" sound and ending with an "rd" sound.
board: /bɔːɹd/ - The sound is a "b" followed by an "or" sound and ending with an "rd" sound.
cit: /sɪt/ - The sound is a "s" followed by a short "i" sound and ending with a "t" sound.
ies: /iz/ - The sound is a short "i" followed by a "z" sound.
Word Form Variations
Singular: Cardboard city
Plural: Cardboard cities
Adjective: Cardboard city (e.g., "a cardboard city dwelling")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun:
A makeshift settlement, typically located on the outskirts of a city or in an abandoned area, constructed from scavenged materials such as cardboard, plastic sheets, and other discarded items. These settlements are often inhabited by homeless people or those living in extreme poverty who lack access to permanent housing.
Synonyms: shantytown, slum, squatter settlement, favela
Antonyms: suburbia, affluent neighborhood, residential area, gated community
(Figurative) A temporary and poorly constructed or organized project, system, or organization that lacks a solid foundation and is likely to fail.
Synonyms: house of cards, flimsy structure, temporary measure
Antonyms: solid foundation, permanent structure, robust system
Examples of Use
Books
Katarina Jovanovic's novel Cardboard City tells the story of two Romani teenagers trying to escape a makeshift settlement in Belgrade. (Quill & Quire, July 2023)
The main character in Sue Townsend's novel Rebuilding Coventry is described as having lived for a time in "Cardboard City," a well-known makeshift settlement in London.
Newspapers and Online Publications
An article about the history of homelessness in London discusses the "Cardboard City" that once existed in the Bullring area under Waterloo Bridge. (St John's Waterloo)
An online piece on Medium explores the various uses of cardboard in Hong Kong, from makeshift seating for domestic helpers to a source of income for elderly residents, referring to the city as "The City of Cardboard." (Medium, February 2016)
Entertainment
The animated film Fire in Cardboard City (2002) is a short film about a city made entirely of cardboard that catches fire. (New Zealand Film Commission)
The 2014 stop-motion animated film The Boxtrolls features a community of trash-collecting trolls who live in subterranean caves and wear salvaged cardboard boxes.
Public Discourse
The term "Cardboard City" was widely used in London in the late 20th century to refer to the community of homeless people living under Waterloo Bridge, and it became a symbol of urban poverty.
The "Cardboard city" in Belgrade, Serbia, was an informal settlement of Roma people that was a frequent topic of debate and government action before its demolition in 2009. The relocation of its residents sparked public discussion about housing rights and social inequality. (Wikipedia)
10 Famous Quotes Using Cardboard cities
"My Army Intelligence friend shuffled away to sleep the night in cardboard city like the rest of us." (Dexter Petley, White Lies)
"The entire fantastical creation was crashing about her like a cardboard city in an earthquake." (Michael Stewart, Compulsion)
"The world's opera houses are the reasons we have cardboard cities." (Howard Jacobson)
"I'm sorry, man. I'm sorry. Sorry. Nice one, man. Nice one." (Phil Brough, Fire in Cardboard City)
"Cardboard is not one of the major food groups, remember?" - Marco (Katherine Applegate, Animorphs #29: The Sickness)
"We were poor back then. Not living in a cardboard carton poor, not 'we might have to eat the dog' poor, but still poor." (Rebecca McNutt, Smog City)
"The Winter winds blow cold and hard under the desolate railway bridge... This is the first night in three weeks that he is spending vulnerably alone." (Paul Tristram, "Cardboard City")
"If the foundation of your house is righteousness then your wealth will not be like a cardboard house that collapses under a gentle blow of wind." (Sunday Adelaja)
"He painted his own cardboard cities, filling them with heroes, villains, and epic battles, a world that was all his own." (Original)
"She walked through the abandoned lot, a modern-day ruin, where a cardboard city had risen from the ashes of progress." (Original)
Etymology
The term "cardboard city" is a descriptive compound word that combines two common English words: "cardboard" and "city." Its meaning is quite literal and easy to grasp. The "cardboard" part refers to the material—discarded corrugated paper and boxes—that is used to build the temporary shelters. The "city" part is used in a more figurative sense to describe a collection of these shelters that are grouped together, forming a community or settlement.
The earliest known use of the term dates back to the 1870s, with a specific mention in 1876 by J.J. Rowan. However, it became much more widely recognized and used in the late 20th century to describe the informal settlements of homeless people, particularly the well-known one that existed under the Waterloo Bridge in London from the late 1970s until the late 1990s. The term's origin is therefore rooted in the simple observation of homeless people using cardboard boxes for shelter in urban areas, leading to the creation of a powerful and evocative phrase.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Cardboard cities
A cardboard city dweller: A person living in a makeshift shelter, often referring to someone who is homeless.
Living in a cardboard city: The act of being homeless and residing in a temporary, makeshift structure.
Building a cardboard city: A phrase that can be used literally to describe the construction of such a settlement, or figuratively to describe a poorly planned and temporary project.
Falling apart like a cardboard city: An idiom describing something that is collapsing or failing due to its lack of a solid foundation or structure.
As flimsy as a cardboard city: A simile used to describe a plan, argument, or structure that is weak and easily broken.
The spirit of the cardboard city: A phrase that can be used to describe the resilience and community that can form among people in challenging circumstances.
A shantytown of ideas: An idiom using a synonym to describe a collection of disorganized and poorly thought-out concepts.
To erect a house of cards: An idiom using a synonym for a similar effect, meaning to create something that is fragile and likely to fail.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of Cardboard cities from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
