Definition

Proper noun: * A major city in China: Kwangchow is an older romanization for the city now more commonly known as Guangzhou. It is the capital of Guangdong province, located on the Pearl River (Zhu Jiang) Delta in southern China, and is a significant deep-water port and commercial center.

Usage Notes

• "Kwangchow" is a historical transliteration based on the Cantonese pronunciation of the city's name. In modern contexts, the official pinyin romanization "Guangzhou" is standard and should be used. "Kwangchow" may still be encountered in older historical texts or certain proper names.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• The term may appear in historical or archival contexts referring to the city's role in events like the Canton System of trade or the Opium Wars.

Variants and Related Words

• Guangzhou (n): The modern, standard name for the city.
• Canton (n): Another historical English name for the same city, derived from the Portuguese "Cantão." This name is still used in some contexts, such as "Canton Fair" and "Cantonese" language/cuisine.

Synonyms

• Guangzhou
• Canton (historical)

Related Terms

• Pearl River Delta: The major geographical region where the city is located.
• Guangdong: The province of which Kwangchow/Guangzhou is the capital.
• Cantonese: Refers to the language, culture, or people traditionally associated with this region.

Noun

1. a city on the Zhu Jiang delta in southern China; the capital of Guangdong province and a major deep-water port