Hong Kong
Americannoun
noun
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a Special Administrative Region of China, in the south of the country, with some autonomy; formerly a British Crown Colony: consists of Hong Kong Island, leased by China to Britain from 1842 until 1997, Kowloon Peninsula, Stonecutters Island, the New Territories (mainland), leased by China in 1898 for a 99-year period, and over 230 small islands; important entrepôt trade and manufacturing centre, esp for textiles and other consumer goods; university (1912). It retains its own currency, the Hong Kong dollar. Administrative centre: Victoria. Pop: 7 182 724 (2013 est). Area: 1046 sq km (404 sq miles)
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an island in Hong Kong region, south of Kowloon Peninsula: contains the capital, Victoria. Pop: 1 337 800 (2001). Area: 75 sq km (29 sq miles)
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One of the world's leading commercial centers, Hong Kong is home to many international corporate offices and a world-famous tailoring industry. China has given assurances that it will maintain Hong Kong's capitalistic (see capitalism) and democratic (see democracy) institutions.
China ceded the island of Hong Kong to Britain in the nineteenth century. Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule in 1997, when Britain's lease expired.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Hong Kong
First recorded in 1840–45; possibly from Chinese (Guangdong dialect) Hēung Góng “Fragrant Harbor, Incense Harbor” (the two syllables do not rhyme in Guangdong dialect)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yi-Han Iris Yin, a PhD student in the Department of Physics and the Hong Kong Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics at The University of Hong Kong, led the analysis of the high-energy emission.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
The high base likely stems from Hong Kong, Thailand and mainland China in the same period last year, and disruption should be attributed to regulatory changes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
He is the oldest man to win an ATP Tour-level title since 43-year-old Ken Rosewall won in Hong Kong in 1877.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Sydney, Singapore, Manila and Jakarta also advanced, but there were losses in Hong Kong and Wellington.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
"That's my second wife. She came over from Hong Kong two years ago."
From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
