Chiuchow
/ˌtʃuː ˈtʃaʊ/noun
A traditional English romanization referring to Chaozhou, a city and cultural region in eastern Guangdong, China, or its people and culture.
Did you know?“Chiuchow” is a Cantonese-based spelling of 潮州, while “Teochew” reflects the local Chaoshan pronunciation; both names ultimately point to the same cultural homeland.
Etymological Timeline
Sui Dynasty, 591 CE
Classical Chinese
潮州
“Chaozhou; literally “Tide Prefecture,” the name assigned to a newly established administrative region.”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
潮州
“A regional name pronounced approximately as djiew dzjuw in reconstructed readings, referring to the prefecture in eastern Guangdong.”
19th Century
Cantonese
Chiù-jāu
“A Cantonese pronunciation and romanization of 潮州.”
19th–20th Century
English
Chiuchow
“An English spelling used in descriptions of the region, its people, cuisine, music, and embroidery.”
Modern English
English
Chiuchow
“A traditional or diaspora-era term for Chaozhou/Teochew culture, increasingly replaced in formal usage by Chaozhou or Teochew.”