Hong Kong
/ˌhɒŋ ˈkɒŋ/noun
A special administrative region and major port city on the southern coast of China.
Did you know?The name is generally traced to the Cantonese Chinese 香港, though historians debate whether its “fragrance” referred to incense, fragrant vegetation, or the scent of goods shipped through the harbor.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
香
“Fragrant or aromatic”
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
港
“Harbor or port”
Unknown; premodern period
Cantonese
Heung Gong
“Fragrant Harbor”
16th–17th Century
Portuguese
Hong Kong
“A place-name adopted from local Cantonese pronunciation”
19th Century
English
Hong Kong
“The English name for the harbor, island, and surrounding territory”
Modern English
English
Hong Kong
“A special administrative region of China and its principal urban center”