Hubei
/ˌhuːˈbeɪ/noun
A province of central China, whose name literally means “north of the lake.”
Did you know?Hubei’s name pairs 湖 hú, “lake,” with 北 běi, “north,” while its neighboring province Hunan means “south of the lake.”
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
湖
“lake; a body of inland water”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
湖 hú
“lake”
Imperial China
Chinese
湖北
“north of the lake, referring historically to the area north of Dongting Lake”
1664
Chinese
湖北省
“Hubei Province, formally established as an administrative province after the division of Huguang”
Modern English
English
Hubei
“The conventional English name for the province 湖北”