長江 / 长江
Cháng Jiāng
The English phrase 'yangtze' refers to the Chinese name for the third longest river in the world, typically expressed as 長江 / 长江 (Cháng Jiāng). If unsure, use 長江 / 长江. Wiktionary also lists 揚子江 / 扬子江 (Yángzǐ Jiāng).
Meaning: the third longest river in the world (name)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 長江 / 长江 | Cháng Jiāng |
| 揚子江 / 扬子江 | Yángzǐ Jiāng |
What does it mean word for word?
The name 長江 / 长江 (Cháng Jiāng) literally means 'Long River'.
Which one should you use?
長江 / 长江 is the standard and most common name used in mainland China. 揚子江 / 扬子江 is an alternative name for the same river.
Is it said differently in some regions?
長江 / 长江 is the standard name used in mainland China.
How do you pronounce it?
Cháng Jiāng
Did you know?
- The confusion between 'Long River' and 'Son of the Ocean' exists because the characters for the river name sound almost identical to a phrase meaning 'child of the ocean'.
- In Chinese culture, 長江 / 长江 is often paired with the 黃河 / 黄河 (Yellow River) to represent the two great pillars of Chinese civilization.
- The term 江 /jiāng used in both names is a specific type of word for 'river' that is typically reserved for large, significant water bodies, rather than a general term for any stream.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yangtze” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 揚子江, CC BY-SA 4.0.
