A guide to the meaning of place names in China

These elements are commonly used in various combinations to form place names throughout China, reflecting geographical features, cultural aspects, and historical significance.

  • Tiān 天 - Heaven: TianAnMen 天安门 - TianAnMen
  • Mén 门 - Gate: DongMen 东门 - East Gate
  • Sì 寺 - Temple: ShaoLinSi 少林寺 - ShaoLin Temple
  • Shān 山 - Mountain: HuangShan 黄山 - Yellow Mountain
  • Hé 河 - River: HuangHe 黄河 - Yellow River
  • Jiāng 江 - River (large): ChangJiang 长江 - Yangtze River
  • Hú 湖 - Lake: XiHu 西湖 - West Lake
  • Hǎi 海 - Sea: QingDao 青岛 - QingDao
  • Zhōu 州 - State or Prefecture: GuangZhou 广州 - GuangZhou
  • Shì 市 - City: ShangHai 市 - ShangHai City
  • Zhèn 镇 - Town: ZhouZhuang 镇 周庄镇 - ZhouZhuang Town
  • Cūn 村 - Village: ZhouCun 周村 - Zhou Village
  • Miào 庙 - Temple: WenMiao 文庙 - Confucius Temple
  • Qiáo 桥 - Bridge: LuGouQiao 卢沟桥 - Marco Polo Bridge
  • Dòng 洞 - Cave: YunGang ShiKu 云冈石窟 - YunGang Grottoes
  • Bǎo 堡 - Fort or Castle: ZhangJiaJie 张家界 - ZhangJiaJie
  • Tái 台 - Platform or Terrace: DongTai 东台 - DongTai
  • Lǐng 岭 - Ridge or Mountain Range: WuLing 五岭 - Five Ridges
  • Gǎng 港 - Harbor or Port: XiangGang 香港 - Hong Kong
  • Yuàn 苑 - Park or Garden: YiHeYuan 颐和园 - Summer Palace
  • Quán 泉 - Spring: JiNan 济南 - JiNan
  • Wān 湾 - Bay: ShenZhen Wan 深圳湾 - ShenZhen Bay
  • Dǎo 岛 - Island: HaiNan Dao 海南岛 - HaiNan Island
  • Chéng 城 - City or Town: NanJing Cheng 南京城 - NanJing City
  • Guǎngchǎng 广场 - Square: TianAnMen GuangChang 天安门广场 - TianAnMen Square
  • Gōng 宫 - Palace: GuGong 故宫 - Forbidden City
  • Yuàn 院 - Courtyard or Compound: BeiJing DaXue 北京大学 - Peking University
  • Cūnzhuāng 村庄 - Village: ZhouZhuang Cun 周庄村 - ZhouZhuang Village
  • Qū 区 - District or Area: ChaoYang Qu 朝阳区 - ChaoYang District
  • Lù 路 - Road or Street: Chang'An Lu 长安路 - Chang'An Road
  • Jiē 街 - Street: WangFuJing Jie 王府井街 - WangFuJing Street
  • Fāng 坊 - Lane or Alley: NanLuoGuXiang 南锣鼓巷 - NanLuoGuXiang
  • Běi 北 - North: BeiJing 北京 - BeiJing
  • Nán 南 - South: NanJing 南京 - NanJing
  • Dōng 东 - East: DongGuan 东莞 - DongGuan
  • Xī 西 - West: Xi'An 西安 - Xi'An
  • Zhōng 中 - Central: ZhongShan 中山 - ZhongShan
  • Wài 外 - Outer: WaiTan 外滩 - The Bund
  • Nèi 内 - Inner: NeiMengGu 内蒙古 - Inner Mongolia
  • Xīn 新 - New: XinJiang 新疆 - XinJiang
  • Jiù 旧 - Old: JiuJinShan 旧金山 - San Francisco
  • Shàng 上 - Upper: ShangHai 上海 - ShangHai
  • Xià 下 - Lower: XiaGuan 下关 - XiaGuan
  • Qián 前 - Front: QianMen 前门 - QianMen
  • Hòu 后 - Back: HouHai 后海 - HouHai
  • Cháng 长 - Long: ChangChun 长春 - ChangChun
  • Duǎn 短 - Short: DuanShan 短山 - DuanShan
  • Gāo 高 - High: GaoXiong 高雄 - KaoHsiung
  • Dī 低 - Low: DiCun 低村 - DiCun
  • Dà 大 - Big: DaTong 大同 - DaTong
  • Xiǎo 小 - Small: XiaoZhen 小镇 - XiaoZhen
  • Lóng 龙 - Dragon: LongYan 龙岩 - LongYan
  • Fèng 凤 - Phoenix: FengYang 凤阳 - FengYang
  • Fú 福 - Fortune: FuZhou 福州 - FuZhou
  • Ān 安 - Peace: Xi'An 西安 - Xi'An
  • Qìng 庆 - Celebration: QingYang 庆阳 - QingYang
  • Xīng 兴 - Prosperous: XingHua 兴化 - XingHua
  • Jí 吉 - Lucky: JiLin 吉林 - JiLin
  • Xiáng 祥 - Auspicious: XiangFu 祥符 - XiangFu
  • Guāng 光 - Light: GuangZhou 广州 - GuangZhou
  • Míng 明 - Bright: MingGuang 明光 - MingGuang
  • Hékǒu 河口 - River Mouth: HeKou 河口 - HeKou
  • Qiáotóu 桥头 - Bridgehead: QiaoTou 桥头 - QiaoTou
  • Shānjiǎo 山脚 - Foothill: ShanJiao 山脚 - ShanJiao
  • Hǎibīn 海滨 - Seaside: HaiBin 海滨 - HaiBin
  • Mǎtóu 码头 - Wharf: MaTou 码头 - MaTou
  • Gǔ 古 - Ancient: GuZhen 古镇 - GuZhen
  • Wén 文 - Culture: WenHua Cun 文化村 - WenHua Village
  • Chāng 昌 - Flourishing: ChangPing 昌平 - ChangPing
  • Cuì 翠 - Emerald (green): CuiHu 翠湖 - CuiHu
  • Jīn 金 - Gold: JinShan 金山 - JinShan
  • Yín 银 - Silver: YinChuan 银川 - YinChuan
  • Qīng 青 - Blue/Green: QingDao 青岛 - QingDao
  • Hóng 红 - Red: HongHe 红河 - HongHe
  • Huáng 黄 - Yellow: HuangShan 黄山 - HuangShan
  • Bái 白 - White: BaiYun 白云 - BaiYun
  • Hēi 黑 - Black: HeiLongJiang 黑龙江 - HeiLongJiang
  • Yáng 阳 - Sun: LuoYang 洛阳 - LuoYang
  • Yīn 阴 - Shade: YinShan 阴山 - YinShan
  • Xīng 星 - Star: XingZi 星子 - XingZi
  • Yuè 月 - Moon: YueLiang Wan 月亮湾 - Moon Bay
  • Huā 花 - Flower: HuaDu 花都 - HuaDu
  • Cǎo 草 - Grass: CaoYuan 草原 - Grassland
  • Shù 树 - Tree: ShuCun 树村 - ShuCun
  • Lín 林 - Forest: LinHai 林海 - LinHai
  • Yuán 园 - Garden: YuanLin 园林 - YuanLin
  • Nóng 农 - Agricultural: NongChang 农场 - NongChang
  • Gōng 工 - Industrial: GongYe Qu 工业区 - GongYe District
  • Shāng 商 - Commercial: ShangYe Jie 商业街 - Commercial Street
  • Xué 学 - Learning: XueYuan Lu 学院路 - XueYuan Road
  • Yī 医 - Medical: YiYuan Jie 医院街 - YiYuan Street
  • Zhàn 站 - Station: HuoChe Zhan 火车站 - Train Station
  • Shì 室 - Room: BanGong Shi 办公室 - Office
  • Lóu 楼 - Building: GaoLou 高楼 - Tall Building
  • Qū 区 - Area/District: ShiQu 市区 - Urban Area
  • Yuánqū 园区 - Park/Zone: GongYe YuanQu 工业园区 - Industrial Park
  • Jīdì 基地 - Base: KeJi JiDi 科技基地 - Technology Base
  • Jiēdào 街道 - Street: Gu JieDao 古街道 - Ancient Street
  • Xiǎoqū 小区 - Residential area: XiaoQū 小区 - Residential Area
  • Zhōngxīn 中心 - Center: Shi ZhōngXīn 市中心 - City Center

Chinese city names and their meanings :

  • BeiJing 北京 - North Capital
  • ShangHai 上海 - Above Sea
  • ChongQing 重庆 - Double Celebration
  • TianJin 天津 - Heavenly Ford
  • GuangZhou 广州 - Expansive Prefecture
  • ShenZhen 深圳 - Deep Ditch
  • ChengDu 成都 - Become Capital
  • Nanjing 南京 - South Capital
  • Xi'An 西安 - Western Peace
  • HangZhou 杭州 - Hang Prefecture
  • Wuhan 武汉 - Combined from WuChang (武昌) and HanKou (汉口)
  • SuZhou 苏州 - Su Prefecture
  • Shenyang 沈阳 - Rising Sun
  • Dongguan 东莞 - East Pass
  • Ningbo 宁波 - Tranquil Waves
  • Qingdao 青岛 - Green Island
  • Guiyang 贵阳 - Precious Sun
  • Haikou 海口 - Sea Mouth
  • Kunming 昆明 - Bright Merits
  • Xiamen 厦门 - Door of the House

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