Hong Kong

Or Hong·kong

[hong kong]

noun

1. a special administrative region of China, formerly a British colony, comprising Hong Kong Island (29 sq. mi.; 75 sq. km), the southern part of Kowloon peninsula, nearby islands, and the New Territories in adjacent mainland southeast China: reverted to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. 427 sq. mi. (1,106 sq. km).

Hong Kong

/ ˌhɒŋ ˈkɒŋ /

noun

1. 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)

2. 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)

Hong Kong

1. Now a special administrative region of China; formerly a British colony, located on the south coast of China on the South China Sea, part of the Pacific Ocean.

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

• Hong Konger noun
• Hongkongite noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hong Kong¹

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

Ms Ma lives in Canada with her family, but visits the Hong Kong apartment several times a year.

Read more on BBC

Deadly fires were once a regular scourge in densely populated Hong Kong, especially in poorer neighbourhoods, but improved safety measures have made them far less common.

Read more on Barron's

The cause of the fire is still unclear, but authorities believe renovations using flammable material and scaffolding helped spread what has now become the deadliest blaze in Hong Kong in six decades.

Read more on BBC

The centuries-old technique is a feature of Hong Kong’s urban landscape that the government has been moving to phase out because of its flammable nature.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The mood in Hong Kong has shifted from shock to anguish, as questions grow regarding who should be held accountable for the blaze.

Read more on BBC