中國 / 中国
zung¹ gwok³
China in Cantonese is said as 中國 / 中国 (zung¹ gwok³). If unsure, use 中國 / 中国. Wiktionary also lists 中華 / 中华 (zung¹ waa⁴).
Meaning: country in East Asia (name)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 中國 / 中国 | zung¹ gwok³ | |
| 中華 / 中华 | zung¹ waa⁴ | formal, poetic |
Both forms refer to the country in East Asia.
What does it mean word for word?
The name 中國 / 中国 literally means 'Middle Kingdom'. The name 中華 / 中华 literally means 'Central Flower' or 'Central Splendor'.
Which one should you use?
中國 / 中国 is the standard, everyday term for the country, whereas 中華 / 中华 is more formal or used in official titles, such as in the names of the Republic of China or the People's Republic of China.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
中國 / 中国 is the most commonly used term. 中華 / 中华 is a more formal or poetic way to refer to China, often appearing in the names of organizations or in ceremonial contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hong Kong, the term 中國 / 中国 is widely used to refer to China.
How do you pronounce it?
zung¹ gwok³
Did you know?
- In Hong Kong, when people say 中國, they are often specifically referring to mainland China to distinguish it from the local Special Administrative Region.
- The formal term 中華 contains the character 華, which refers to 'magnificence' but also historically described the 'flower' or 'splendor' of the people.
- While English speakers use 'China' to refer to the nation, Cantonese speakers often use 中華 / 中华 when speaking about the 'Chinese people' as a collective cultural or ethnic identity rather than just a territory.
Examples in context
- 我喺中國長大嘅。I grew up in China.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “china” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
