Jiuzhaigou
/ˌdʒuːdʒaɪˈɡoʊ/noun
A scenic area and national park in Sichuan, China, named for its nine traditional Tibetan villages.
Did you know?The name preserves the cultural presence of nine Tibetan villages whose inhabitants historically lived in the valley now famous for its vividly colored lakes and waterfalls.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese, c. 1st millennium BCE
Old Chinese
九 *kə́wʔ
“Nine”
Middle Chinese, c. 7th–10th century
Middle Chinese
寨 *dzˠɛH
“A fortified settlement, stockade, or village”
Middle Chinese, c. 7th–10th century
Middle Chinese
溝 *kuw
“A ditch, ravine, or valley channel”
Modern Mandarin
Mandarin
九寨溝 Jiǔzhàigōu
“Nine Villages Valley”
20th century–present
English romanization
Jiuzhaigou
“The standard pinyin form used for the valley and national park in Sichuan, China”