In　recent　decades,　the　trade-off　between　urbanization　and　vegetation　dynamics　has　broken　the　balance　between　human　activities　and　social-economic　dimensions.　Our　understanding　towards　the　complex　human-nature　interactions,　particularly　the　gradient　of　vegetation　growth　pattern　across　different　city　size,　is　still　limited.　Here,　we　selected　35　typical　cities　in　China　and　classified　them　into　five　categories　according　to　their　resident　population　(e.g.,　megacities,　megapolis,　big　cities,　medium　cities,　and　small　cities).　The　spatial-temporal　dynamics　of　vegetation　growth　for　all　35　cities　were　inferred　from　the　Moderate　Resolution　Imaging　Spectroradiometer　(MODIS)　normalized　difference　vegetation　index　(NDVI).　We　found　that　averaged　NDVI　for　all　cities　slightly　decreased　during　2000　and　2020,　at　a　rate　of　1.6　x　10(-4)　per　year.　Most　cities　were　characterized　with　relatively　lower　NDVI　in　urban　areas　than　its　surrounding　area　(determined　by　a　series　of　buffer　zones,　i.e.,　1-25　km　outside　of　the　city　boundary).　The　percentage　of　greening　pixels　increased　from　urban　area　to　the　25　km　buffer　zone　at　a　rate　of　4.7　x　10(-4)　per　km.　We　noticed　that　negative　impact　of　urbanization　on　vegetation　growth　reduced　as　the　distance　to　urban　area　increased,　with　an　exception　for　megacities　(e.g.,　Shanghai,　Beijing,　and　Shenzhen).　In　megacities　and　megapolis,　greening　pixels　were　more　concentrated　at　core　urban　area,　implying　that　the　positive　urbanization　effect　on　vegetation　growth　is　much　more　apparent.　We　argue　that　urbanization　in　China　might　facilitate　vegetation　growth　to　a　certain　extent,　for　which　an　appropriate　urban　planning　such　as　purposeful　selection　of　city　sizes　could　be　a　scientific　guidance　while　targeting　the　city＇s　sustainable　development　goals　in　future.