Panyu
/pænˈjuː/noun
Panyu is a district of Guangzhou in Guangdong, China, and the name of a historic county and city in the region.
Did you know?Panyu was established during the Qin conquest of southern China around 214 BCE, but scholars still debate what the ancient characters 番禺 originally meant.
Etymological Timeline
214 BCE
Early Chinese
番禺
“A county established in the Lingnan region under the Qin dynasty; the name’s original sense is uncertain.”
Han Dynasty
Classical Chinese
番禺
“The name of an important administrative center in southern China.”
589 CE
Middle Chinese
番禺
“A county name retained during the Sui reorganization of southern Chinese administration.”
1911–1949
English transcription
Panyu
“A romanized form used in English-language maps and historical writing.”
Modern English
English
Panyu
“A district of Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, also referring historically to the surrounding county and city.”