Place names in China
Appearance
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" [1] / "Lake X" and "X Mountain" / "Mount X" both is used.
Some mountain ranges like Tian Shan 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
Group | Class (E) | Class (C) | Class (P) | Example (E) | Example (P) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Administrative | Autonomous Region | 自治区 | Zìzhìqū | Tibet Autonomous Region | Xīzàng Zìzhìqū |
Administrative | Province | 省 | Shěng | Hebei Province | Héběi Shěng |
Administrative | County | 县 | Pan County | ||
Administrative | 州 | -zhou | Tongzhou | ||
Administrative | 縣 | -xian | (Tung-hsien historic) | ||
Administrative | Autonomous county | 自治县 | Zìzhìxiàn | Dachang Hui Autonomous County | |
Administrative | City | 市 | Shì | Chengdu City | Chéngdū Shì |
Administrative | District | 区 | Qū | Bincheng District | Bīnchéng Qū |
Administrative | League | 盟 | Méng | Alxa League | Ālāshàn Méng |
Administrative | Autonomous banner | 自治旗 | Zìzhìqí | Evenk Autonomous Banner | Èwēnkèzú Zìzhìqí |
Landform | Mountains | 山脉 | Ailao Mountains | Āiláo Shān | |
Landform | Mountain | 山 | Shān | Tianmu Mountain | Tiānmù Shān |
Landform | Peak | 峰 | Feng | ||
Landform | Hill | .. | see List of hills in Hangzhou | ||
Landform | Island | 岛 | Dǎo | Liugong Island | Liúgōng Dǎo |
Landform | Plateau | 草原 | Cǎoyuán | Bashang Plateau | Bàshàng Cǎoyuán |
Landform | Peninsula | 半岛 | bàn dǎo | Shandong Peninsula | Shāndōng bàn dǎo |
Landform | Valley | 沟 (formally 峡) | Insukati Valley | ||
Landform | Pass | 关 | Guān | Kunlun Pass | Kūnlún Guān |
Landform | Desert | 沙漠 | Shāmò | Taklamakan Desert | Tǎkèlāmǎgān Shāmò |
Landform | Gorge | 峡 | Xiá | Wu Gorge | Wū Xiá |
Landform | Beach | ||||
Landform | Basin | 盆地 | Péndì | Tarim Basin | Tǎlǐmù Péndì |
Landform | Cave | 洞 | Dòng | Xianren Cave | Xiānrén Dòng |
Landform | Plain | 平原 | Píngyuán | Chengdu Plain | Chéngdū Píngyuán |
Landform/Water | Glacier | 冰川 | bīnchuān | Mingyong Glacier | |
Landform/Water | Spring | 泉 | Quán | Baimai Spring | Bǎi Mài Quán |
Landform/Water | Waterfall | 瀑布 | Pù Bù | Hukou Waterfall | Hǔ Kǒu Pù Bù |
Landform/Water | River | 河 | Hé | Huai River | Huái Hé |
Landform/Water | River | 江 | Jiāng | Chang River | Cháng Jiāng |
Landform/Water | Lake | 湖 | Hú | Ayding Lake | Àidīng Hú |
Landform/Water | Sea, X Gulf | Hǎi | Bohai Sea | Bó Hăi | |
Landform/Water | Bay | 灣 | Wān | Bohai Bay | Bóhǎi Wān |
Landform/Water | Strait | 海峡 | hǎixiá | Taiwan Strait | |
Landform/Water | Reservoir | 水库 | Zhelin Reservoir |
Directions
- East: 东, Dong - e.g. Guangdong (广东), "Expanse East"
- West: 西, Xi – e.g. Xi'an (西安), "Western Peace"
- South: 南, Nan – e.g. Hainan (海南), "South of the Sea"
- North: 北, Bei – e.g. Beijing (北京), "Northern Capital"
References
- ^ http://www.mwr.gov.cn/english1/20040802/38171.asp - Ministry of Water Resources