Hong Kong
/ɔ̃ɡ.kɔ̃ɡ/masculine
Hong Kong in French is Hong Kong. If unsure, use Hong Kong. Wiktionary also lists Hongkong and Xianggang.
Meaning: coastal administrative region in south-east China (name)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong | /ɔ̃ɡ.kɔ̃ɡ/ /ɔŋ.kɔŋ/ |
masculine |
| Hongkong | /ɔŋ.kɔŋ/ /ɔ̃ɡ.kɔ̃ɡ/ |
masculine |
| Xianggang | masculine |
The term refers to the coastal administrative region in south-east China.
Which one should you use?
Hong Kong is the most common and standard way to write the name in French. Hongkong is an accepted alternative form, although it is used less frequently than the two-word version. Xianggang is also a form used in French.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the preposition à with this name, such as in à Hong Kong, it can indicate both movement toward the region and a location within it.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɔ̃ɡ.kɔ̃ɡ/
Did you know?
- The word 'Kong' in the name is often a source of phonetic curiosity for French speakers because the 'ong' sound is very similar to the French nasal vowel in 'bon'.
- When discussing the culinary scene, a French person might use the phrase cuisine de Hong Kong rather than the more general cuisine chinoise to denote the specific Cantonese style.
- French writers and historians sometimes use la colonie de Hong Kong to refer specifically to the British era, distinguishing the historical entity from the current Région Administrative Spéciale.
Examples in context
- Je suis allé une fois à Hong Kong.I've been to Hong Kong once.This sentence is useful for describing a past visit to Hong Kong.Tatoeba #781111 by Ppjet6, translation #241212 by CN
- Son avion pour Hong Kong décolle à 14 h.His plane leaves for Hong Kong at 2:00 p.m.This sentence is useful for describing a flight destination for Hong Kong.Tatoeba #8315268 by Micsmithel, translation #18301 by Zifre
- Il rentra à la maison en passant par Hong Kong.He returned home by way of Hong Kong.This sentence is useful for describing a travel route passing through Hong Kong.Tatoeba #132035 by nimfeo, translation #296378 by CM
- La délégation diplomatique de Hong Kong est arrivée à Paris pour les négociations.The diplomatic delegation from Hong Kong has arrived in Paris for negotiations.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are talking about their travel plans in a cafe.
- ChloéTu veux aller à Hong Kong cet été ?Do you want to go to Hong Kong this summer?
- GabrielOui, j'aimerais beaucoup découvrir Hong Kong.Yes, I would really love to discover Hong Kong.
- ChloéC'est une ville magnifique, Gabriel.It is a magnificent city, Gabriel.
- GabrielOn réserve les billets demain ?Shall we book the tickets tomorrow?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hong kong” translations and entries Hong Kong, Hongkong, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
