Meizhou Hakka
/ˌmeɪˈdʒoʊ ˈhækə/noun
A Hakka Chinese cultural and linguistic community associated especially with Meizhou in Guangdong, China.
Did you know?The label Hakka reflects historical migration and registration categories, while Meizhou became one of the world’s best-known cultural centers of Hakka language and identity.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
梅
“Plum or plum tree; the character used in the place-name Meizhou.”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
州
“A prefecture or administrative region; 梅州 therefore means “Plum Prefecture.””
Late Imperial China
Chinese
客家
“Guest families or guest people; a designation associated with migrant communities and their descendants.”
17th–19th Centuries
Hakka/Chinese
Hak-ka
“A Hakka pronunciation of 客家, preserved as the community’s linguistic and ethnic name.”
20th Century
English
Meizhou Hakka
“An English rendering identifying the Hakka people, language, or culture associated with Meizhou.”
Modern English
English
Meizhou Hakka
“A recognized cultural and ethnolinguistic designation connected with Meizhou, Guangdong.”