matshed

English

Alternative forms

• mat-shed, mat shed

Noun

matshed (plural matsheds)

1. In late modern China and Hong Kong, a temporary structure made of bamboo poles and palm leaves.

Translations

structure

• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 棚廠／棚厂 (paang⁴ cong²), 蓬廠／蓬厂 (pung⁴ cong²)

  Mandarin: 窩棚／窝棚 (zh) (wōpeng)

References

• Despatches and Other Papers Relating to the Extension of the Colony of Hongkong, (Can we date this quote?), page 25: “I may observe that matsheds are temporary structures of bamboo poles, rafters, and floors with sides and roof of palm leaves. They are put up without nails and very rapidly and are strong and watertight.”
• 鄺其照 Kwong Ki Chiu (1887) 華英字典集成 An English and Chinese Dictionary‎^[1]: “Mat shed [temporary building of bamboo and palm-leaf]”