Place names of Hong Kong

The generic forms of Hong Kong place names are mainly Cantonese, Hakka and British English, although other languages also contribute to Hong Kong place names.

Majority of generic forms are suffix such as Chung in Kwai Chung. Some indicators of ordering and direction could be as prefix, like Tai Pai (大白, lit. first white), Yi Pai (二白, second white). Some more ancient name from Yuet peoples might be of prefix.

Change in name

It is common that Cantonese place names change Chinese characters of similar pronunciation because of misinterpretation by mandarins or visitors from foreign villages and cities, illiteracy of local villages, seeking of good fortune and replace of disgusting meanings.

List of generic names

Indigenous

  • Am,Ngam (岩) - rock, rock face, crag
  • Au (坳 or 凹) - mountain pass
  • Chai/Tsai (仔) - small/minor, word suffix indicating a diminutive.
  • Chai (寨) - defensed village
  • Chau (洲) - islet, island
  • Che (輋) - place near hill/mountain
  • Chung (涌) - estuarial lagoon at mouth or confluence of stream, stream
  • Ha (下) - lower
  • Hau (口) - opening
  • Heung (鄉) - village, rural area
  • Ho (河) - river
  • Hoi (海) - sea
  • Hui (墟) - market, locality within a town
  • Hom (磡) - pillar, mill-stone
  • Kai (街) - street
  • Kan (澗) - stream
  • Kap (甲) - something that sticks out, bulge, appendage.
  • Kau (滘) - basin
  • Kiu (橋) - bridge
  • Ko Tan (高灘) - elevated plain
  • Kok (角) - point (of land), horn, angle
  • Kuk (谷) - valley
  • Lam (林) - wood or forest
  • Leng/Ling (嶺) - hill-top, ridge
  • Long ( )- narrow elongated valley between hills
  • Lo Wai (老圍) - old walled village
  • Mei (尾) - tail (of a place)
  • Mun (門) - door/gate, opening, channel
  • O (澳) - cove, small bay or harbour
  • Pai (排) - slab (of rock), (rocky) reef.
  • Pik (壁) - cliff
  • Ping (坪) - plain
  • Po (埗) - pier
  • Po (埔) - plain (?)
  • Pun (盤) - basin
  • San Tsuen (新村) - new village
  • Sha (沙) - sand, sandy beach, sandy cay or shoal
  • Shan (山) - hill, mountain, mountainous island/islet
  • Shek (石) - rock
  • Sheung (上) - upper
  • Shing (城) - walled city
  • Shui (水) - water, stream
  • Tam (潭) - pool
  • Tan (灘) - beach or shallow band
  • Tau (頭) - head (of a place)
  • Tei (地) - land, place
  • Tin (田) - field (flooded or dry)
  • To (島) - island
  • To (肚) - valley
  • Tong (塘) - pond, plain
  • Tong (堂) - hall
  • Tun (墩) - small (usually rounded) hill
  • Tung (洞) - cave (and ?)
  • Tung (峒)
  • Tsim (尖) - sharp, sharp peak
  • Tsui (嘴) - pointed headland
  • Tsuen (村) - village
  • Tuk (篤) - the very end (of a place)
  • Wai (圍) - walled village
  • Wan (灣) - bay
  • Wan (環) - district
  • Wo (窩) - basin, hollow, coombe
  • Yiu (窰) - kiln

English

Most common Chinese translation in brackets.

  • Bay (灣)
  • Cove (澳)
  • Harbour (港)
  • Haven (港)
  • Hill (山)
  • Mount (山)
  • Peak (山)
  • Praya (海灘)

Modern

See also

References

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