中文摘要：

对国内外城市蔓延概念的界定研究进行综述，归纳了近50年来城市蔓延界定的内涵与主要特征。分析发现，多数界定在关注城市蔓延现象本身特征的同时往往包含蔓延的成因与影响后果，进而较为深入地分析了西方蔓延界定的适用性与局限性。结合我国与西方城市蔓延的比较与分析，总结我国城市蔓延的界定标准与核心内容，提出应遵循界定对象明确、严格区分蔓延现象本身与影响后果、特征明晰并易于度量及充分考虑我国蔓延特殊性4个标准。从城市用地扩张的空间形态、用地强度与使用功能、用地的扩张速度3个方面选择核心特征对蔓延进行界定，有助于区分城市内部扩张的合理扩展与蔓延区域，并为蔓延影响与对策等其他相关研究提供理论基础。

英文摘要：

This paper carries out a systematic review on the research progress of definition of urban sprawl at home and abroad, and then concludes the connotation and main features of urban sprawl in the last 50 years. It is found that the definitions always contain the reason and consequences as well as the phenomenon of urban sprawl in itself. Furthermore, this article analyses their suitability and limitations. Combined with the analysis of the differ- ence of urban sprawl between Chinese and western cities, it sums up the four criterions and three main aspects in Chinese cities. According to what have referred above, this paper puts forward the ultimate definition fully consid- ering the particularity of our country, which is useful for the measurement and other relative research on urban sprawl.