Cochin China

See also: Cochinchina

English

Alternative forms

• Cochin-China, Cochinchina
• Cauchin China (obsolete)

Etymology

From French Cochin-China; from a Portuguese corruption of Ko-chen, + China, distinguishing it from the Indian town of Cochin (which has a different etymology and was a Portuguese colony).

Proper noun

Cochin China

1. (historical) A former region comprising southern Vietnam and part of Cambodia.
   • 1806, John Barrow, A Voyage to Cochinchina in the Years 1792 and 1793, T. Cadell and W. Davies:

   • 1824, John White, A Voyage to Cochin China, Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, page 88:

     In their arrangements for the future government of this extensive country, it was determined that Yinyac should possess the two divisions of Chang and Don-nai; Long-niang, that of Huè, bordering on Tonquin; and the youngest brother was to be high-priest of all Cochin China.

   • 1905, “The Directory and Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Straits Settlements, ..., &c. for the Year 1905”, in Hongkong Daily Press, page 544:

     Cochin-China is a French Colony. The province of Giadinh, of which Saigon is the chief port, was conquered by the Franco-Spanish fleet on the 17th February, 1859, but Lower Cochin-China (comprising the provinces of Giadinh, Bienhoa, and Mytho, and the Islands of Pulo Condor) was not definitely occupied until 1862, when it was formally surrendered by treaty; in 1867 three more provinces were conquered by the French and added to their possessions, viz., Chaudoc, Hatien, and Vinhlong. The actual boundaries of Cochin-China now are: on the North the kingdoms of Annam and Cambodia, on the East and South the China Sea, on the West the Gulf of Siam and Cambodia.

Usage notes

• Sometimes used to refer to the whole of Vietnam, but more commonly the region south of the Gianh River, which was ruled by the Nguyễn lords and then the Nguyễn dynasty before being conquered in 1862 and annexed by the French.

Hyponyms

• Champa

Translations

historical region in Southeast Asia

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 南圻 (zh) (Nánqí), 交趾支那 (zh) (Jiāozhǐ Zhīnà)

• Finnish: Kotšinkiina
• French: Cochinchine (fr) f
• Hawaiian: Kokinakina
• Khmer: កូសាំងស៊ីន (kousangsiin), កូសាំងចិន (kousangcən)
• Portuguese: Cochinchina
• Russian: Кохинхи́на (ru) f (Koxinxína)
• Vietnamese: Nam Kì (vi), Giao Chỉ Chi Na

Noun

Cochin China (plural Cochin Chinas)

1. Synonym of Cochin (“type of domestic hen”)

Further reading

• Cochinchina campaign on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• French conquest of Vietnam on Wikipedia.Wikipedia