Place names in China primarily refers to

Han Chinese The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctiv ...

names, but also to those used by China's minorities.

Origins

In his study of place-names in China, J. E. Spencer notes that "although Chinese names indicate both domestic cultural and geographical influences, they almost never indicate cultural influence from other parts of the world", a tendency that also appeared to be characteristic of Chinese place-names in

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

. Tibetan, Mongolian, Uighur and tribal minorities of China's names are phonetically transcribed into Chinese.

In Chinese grammar

Names for places in China, when referred to in Chinese contain a class identifier. In English this is often translated, while the rest of the name is not. The class identifier in Chinese is placed at the end, in English with the exceptions of mountains and lakes the identifier is placed at the end too. For names of lakes and mountains "X Lake" / "Lake X" and "X Mountain" / "Mount X" both is used. Some mountain ranges like

Tian Shan The Tian Shan,, , otk, 𐰴𐰣 𐱅𐰭𐰼𐰃, , tr, Tanrı Dağı, mn, Тэнгэр уул, , ug, تەڭرىتاغ, , , kk, Тәңіртауы / Алатау, , , ky, Теңир-Тоо / Ала-Тоо, , , uz, Tyan-Shan / Tangritog‘ ...

are referred to English by the Chinese name. "Tian" means sky or heaven and "Shan" means mountain(s), so Tian Shan literally translates as the "Heaven Mountains".

List of class names

E = English, C = Chinese, P =

Pinyin Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally writte ...

{, class="wikitable sortable" ! Group ! Class (E) ! Class (C) ! Class (P) ! Example (E) ! Example (P) , ---- , Administrative , Autonomous Region , 自治区 , Zìzhìqū ,

Tibet Autonomous Region The Tibet Autonomous Region or Xizang Autonomous Region, often shortened to Tibet or Xizang, is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China in Southwest China. It was overlayed on the traditional Tibetan regions of � ...

, Xīzàng Zìzhìqū , ---- , Administrative , Province , 省 , Shěng ,

Hebei Province Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and 0 ...

, Héběi Shěng , ---- , Administrative , County , 县 / 縣 , -xian , She County, Hebei , Shè Xiàn , ---- , Administrative , Province (archaic) , 州 , -zhou ,

Guizhou Guizhou (; formerly Kweichow) is a landlocked province in the southwest region of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Guiyang, in the center of the province. Guizhou borders the autonomous region of Guangxi to the ...

, , ---- , Administrative , Autonomous county , 自治县 , Zìzhìxiàn , Dachang Hui Autonomous County , , ---- , Administrative , City , 市 , Shì ,

Chengdu City Chengdu (, ; simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), alternatively romanized as Chengtu, is a sub-provincial city which serves as the capital of the Chinese province ...

, Chéngdū Shì , ---- , Administrative , District , 区 , Qū ,

Bincheng District Bincheng () is a district and seat of the city of Binzhou, Shandong Shandong ( , ; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal Provinces of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China and is ...

, Bīnchéng Qū , ---- , Administrative , League , 盟 , Méng , Alxa League , Ālāshàn Méng , ---- , Administrative , Autonomous banner , 自治旗 , Zìzhìqí ,

Evenk Autonomous Banner Ewenki Autonomous Banner ( Evenki: ; Mongolian: , ''Eveŋki öbertegen jasaqu qosiɣu'', Эвэнк өөртөө засах хошуу; ) is an autonomous banner that lies on the border between northwestern Greater Khingan and Hulun Buir grass ...

, Èwēnkèzú Zìzhìqí , ---- , Landform , Mountains , 山脉 , ,

Ailao Mountains The Ailao Mountains (; Hani: ''Hhaqlol haolgaoq'') are located in Yunnan, China. The Ailao Mountain Nature Reserve Ailao or Ai Lao may refer to: * Ailao Mountains, Yunnan, China * 'Ailao, a traditional Samoan dance, a precursor to the Taualuga * ...

, Āiláo Shān , ---- , Landform , Mountain , 山 , Shān ,

Tianmu Mountain Tianmu Mountain, Mount Tianmu, or Tianmushan () is a mountain in Lin'an County west of Hangzhou, Zhejiang, in eastern China. It is made up of two peaks: West Tianmu () and East Tianmu (). Twin ponds near the top of the peaks led to the name of ...

, Tiānmù Shān , ---- , Landform , Peak , 峰 , Feng , , , ---- , Landform , Island , 岛 , Dǎo ,

Liugong Island Liugong Island () is a small island located on the northeastern edge of Shandong Peninsula, China at the mouth of Weihai Bay. It is known as the "birthplace of China's first modern navy" and is also the site of its defeat in the First Sino-Japane ...

, Liúgōng Dǎo , ---- , Landform , Plateau , 草原 , Cǎoyuán ,

Bashang Plateau Bashang Plateau or Bashang Grasslands () covers about of northwest Hebei and bordering areas of Inner Mongolia in the counties of Zhangbei, Guyuan, Fengning, and Weichang in Hebei and Kangbao and Shangyi in Inner Mongolia. Topography It is ...

, Bàshàng Cǎoyuán , ---- , Landform , Peninsula , 半岛 , Bàndǎo ,

Shandong Peninsula The Shandong (Shantung) Peninsula or Jiaodong (Chiaotung) Peninsula is a peninsula in Shandong Province in eastern China, between the Bohai Sea to the north and the Yellow Sea to the south. The latter name refers to the east and Jiaozhou. Geo ...

, Shāndōng Bàndǎo , ---- , Landform , Valley , 沟 (formally 峡) , ,

Insukati Valley The Yinsugaiti Glacier is located in Shaksgam River basin, north-west of K2 peak on the northern slope of the Karakoram Range.J. Ehlers, Jürgen Ehlers, P.L. Gibbard, P.D. Hughes, editorsQuaternary Glaciations - Extent and Chronology: A Closer Lo ...

, , ---- , Landform , Pass , 关 , Guān ,

Kunlun Pass Kunlun Pass () is mountain pass located 59 kilometers northeast of Nanning, Guangxi and traversed by . The altitude is around 300 m (1000 ft). During the Second Sino-Japanese War, this pass was contended between the Japanese and the Chinese in t ...

, Kūnlún Guān , ---- , Landform , Desert , 沙漠 , Shāmò ,

Taklamakan Desert The Taklimakan or Taklamakan Desert (; zh, s=塔克拉玛干沙漠, p=Tǎkèlāmǎgān Shāmò, Xiao'erjing: , dng, Такәламаган Шамә; ug, تەكلىماكان قۇملۇقى, Täklimakan qumluqi; also spelled Taklimakan and T ...

, Tǎkèlāmǎgān Shāmò , ---- , Landform , Gorge , 峡 , Xiá , Wu Gorge , Wū Xiá , ---- , Landform , Basin , 盆地 , Péndì ,

Tarim Basin The Tarim Basin is an endorheic basin in Northwest China occupying an area of about and one of the largest basins in Northwest China.Chen, Yaning, et al. "Regional climate change and its effects on river runoff in the Tarim Basin, China." Hydr ...

, Tǎlǐmù Péndì , ---- , Landform , Cave , 洞 , Dòng ,

Xianren Cave The Xianren Cave (, ''Xiānréndòng''), together with the nearby Diaotonghuan (, ''Diàotǒnghuán'') rock shelter, is an archaeological site in Dayuan Township (), Wannian County in the Jiangxi province, China and a location of historically imp ...

, Xiānrén Dòng , ---- , Landform , Plain , 平原 , Píngyuán ,

Chengdu Plain The Chengdu Plain (Chinese: 成都平原; Pinyin: Chéngdū Píngyuán), known as Cuanxi Bazi (Chinese: 川西坝子; Sichuanese Pinyin: Cuan1xi1 Ba4zi3) in Sichuanese, is an alluvial plain located in the western part of the Sichuan Basin in so ...

, Chéngdū Píngyuán , ---- , Landform , Rock , 磯/矶 , Jī , Swallow Rock , Yànzi Jī , ---- , Landform/Water , Glacier , 冰川 , bīngchuān , Mingyong Glacier , , ---- , Landform/Water , Spring , 泉 , Quán , Baimai Spring , Bǎimài Quán , ---- , Landform/Water , Waterfall , 瀑布 , Pùbù ,

Hukou Waterfall The Hukou Waterfall (), is the largest waterfall on the Yellow River, the second largest waterfall in China (after the Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou), and the world's largest yellow waterfall. It is located at the intersection of the province ...

, Hǔkǒu Pùbù , ---- , Landform/Water , River , 河 , Hé ,

Huai River The Huai River (), formerly romanized as the Hwai, is a major river in China. It is located about midway between the Yellow River and Yangtze, the two longest rivers and largest drainage basins in China, and like them runs from west to ea ...

, Huái Hé , ---- , Landform/Water , River , 江 , Jiāng , Chang River , Cháng Jiāng , ---- , Landform/Water , Lake , 湖 , Hú ,

Ayding Lake Aydingkol ( Uyghur: , , ), Aydingkul (Mongol) or Ayding () is a lake in the Turpan Depression, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, PR China. At 154 m below sea level, it is the lowest point in China. This lake is now totally dried, and very mudd ...

, Àidīng Hú , ---- , Landform/Water , Sea, X Gulf , 海 , Hǎi ,

Bohai Sea The Bohai Sea () is a marginal sea approximately in area on the east coast of Mainland China. It is the northwestern and innermost extension of the Yellow Sea, to which it connects to the east via the Bohai Strait. It has a mean depth of ...

, Bó Hăi , ---- , Landform/Water , Bay , 灣 , Wān ,

Bohai Bay Bohai Bay () is one of the three major bays of the Bohai Sea, the northwestern and innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea. It is bounded by the coastlines of eastern Hebei province (Tangshan and Cangzhou), Tianjin municipality and northern Shand ...

, Bóhǎi Wān , ---- , Landform/Water , Strait , 海峡 , Hǎixiá ,

Taiwan Strait The Taiwan Strait is a -wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide. The Taiwan Strait is itself a ...

, , ---- , Landform/Water , Reservoir , 水库 , Shuǐkù ,

Jiangkou Reservoir The Jiangkou Reservoir () is a large scale reservoir in Wulong County, Chongqing Municipality, People's Republic of China constructed for the primary purpose of generating hydroelectricity. Built at a cost of 1.95 billion RMB, the reservoir's c ...

, Jiāngkǒu Shuǐkù , ---- , Landform/Water , Harbour , 港 , Gang ,

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

, Xiānggǎng

Directions

Chinese reckon five directions: * East: 东, Dong — e.g.,

Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...

(广东), "Eastern Part of the Expanse" * West: 西, Xi — e.g.,

Xi'an Xi'an ( , ; ; Chinese: ), frequently spelled as Xian and also known by other names, is the capital of Shaanxi Province. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong Plain, the city is the third most populous city in Western China, after Chongqi ...

(西安), "Western Pacified Area" * South: 南, Nan — e.g.,

Hainan Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly l ...

(海南), "South of the Sea" * North: 北, Bei — e.g.,

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

(北京), "Northern Capital" * Central/Middle: 中, Zhong —e.g.,

Hanzhong Hanzhong (; abbreviation: Han) is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Shaanxi province, China, bordering the provinces of Sichuan to the south and Gansu to the west. The founder of the Han dynasty, Liu Bang, was once enfeoffed as th ...

(汉中), "Middle of the Han" From the early concept of

yin and yang Yin and yang ( and ) is a Chinese philosophical concept that describes opposite but interconnected forces. In Chinese cosmology, the universe creates itself out of a primary chaos of material energy, organized into the cycles of yin and ya ...

(阴 and 阳), originally based upon exposure to the sun, many placenames also incorporate them. Old

Luoyang Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang ...

was located on the north bank of the Luo. Old

Hanyang Hanyang may refer to: China *Hanyang District (漢陽區, 汉阳区, ''Hànyáng Qū''), Wuhan, Hubei :*Hanyang Arsenal (漢陽兵工廠), founded in 1891 as one of the oldest modern arsenals in Chinese history :*Hanyang 88 (漢陽八八式步槍), ...

was located on the north bank of the Han, while the eponymous county seat of

Hanyin Hanyin County () is a county in the south of Shaanxi province, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Ankang. Hanyin was established as early as the Qin dynasty and then known as Xicheng County. In 757 AD it became ...

was located on the south bank. When a placename is derived from a mountain, however, these positions are reversed: the ''yang'' side is the mountain's south face and the ''yin'' side its north.

References

Chinese language China Place name etymologies

Origins

In Chinese grammar

List of class names

Directions

See also

References