Hangzhou

See also: Hángzhōu

English

Alternative forms

• Hangchow
• Hangchou, Hang-chou (Wade–Giles)
• Hang-chau

Etymology

From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of Mandarin 杭州 (Hángzhōu), from its former role as the seat of Hang Prefecture (also 杭州 (Hángzhōu)), folk etymologized as a reference to King Yu's ferry over the Qiantang on his way to Shaoxing but more likely a transliteration of an earlier Baiyue placename.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌhɑŋˈd͡ʒoʊ/

Proper noun

Hangzhou

1. A prefecture-level city, the provincial capital of Zhejiang, in eastern China; a former imperial capital.
   • [1669, John Nievhoff, translated by John Ogilby, An Embassy from the Eaſt-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham Emperour of China‎^[1], London: John Macock, →OCLC, page 238:

     In the Province of Chekiang, near the chief City of Hangcheu, runs a River, which in regard of its courſe, is called ſometimes Che, at other times Cientang, and in ſome places Cingan.]

   • 1983, Pratapaditya Pal, Art of Tibet‎^[2], →ISBN, page 30:

     Tibetan colors and gilding are frequently mentioned in Chinese texts, and several monuments survive northwest of Beijing and in Hangzhou in southeast China that were designed by Tibetan monks and were very likely built and carved by both Tibetan and Chinese artists.

   • 2021 August 22, “Top official in eastern China’s Hangzhou under investigation”, in AP News‎^[3], archived from the original on 22 August 2021‎^[4]:

     A former imperial capital famed for its West Lake and surrounding temples, Hangzhou has lately grown famous as the hometown of internet commerce giant Alibaba.

   • 2022 May 13, “Shanghai will try to ease 7-week virus lockdown in few days”, in AP News‎^[5], archived from the original on 13 May 2022‎^[6]:

     China’s outbreaks and the ensuing restrictions have led to a number of events being canceled or postponed, most recently the Asian Games originally scheduled for September in the city of Hangzhou, 177 kilometers (110 miles) west of Shanghai.

2. The adjacent bay of the East China Sea, separating Shanghai from Ningbo.

Synonyms

• (historical) Lin'an
• (historical) Qiantang
• (historical) Wulin

Translations

a city of China

• Arabic: هَانْجْتْشُو m (hangtšū), خَانْجْتْشُو m (ḵangtšū)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 杭州 (hong⁴ zau¹)

  Mandarin: 杭州 (zh) (Hángzhōu)

• Finnish: Hangzhou
• Hungarian: Hangcsou (hu)
• Japanese: 杭州 (こうしゅう, Kōshū)
• Korean: 항저우 (Hangjeou), 항주(杭州) (Hangju)
• Macedonian: Ха́нгџоу n (Hángdžou)
• Manchu: ᡥᠠᠩ
  ᠵᡝᠣ (hang jeo), ᡥᠠᠩᠵᡝᠣ (hangjeo)
• Russian: Ханчжо́у m (Xančžóu)
• Vietnamese: Hàng Châu (vi)
• Zhuang: Hangzcouh

Further reading

• “Hangzhou”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• Hangzhou, Hangchow, Hangchou, Hang-chou, Hang-chau at the Google Books Ngram Viewer.
• “Hangzhou”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “Hangzhou”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• “Hangzhou” in TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2024.
• Saul B. Cohen, editor (1998), “Hangzhou”, in The Columbia Gazetteer of the World‎^[7], volume 2, New York: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 1229, column 2