cong2 gwaan1 dung1闖關東闯关东
Jyutpingcong2 gwaan1 dung1
Yalechóng gwāan dūng
Definition
The migration of Han Chinese into Manchuria, especially from Shandong and Zhili, starting in the late 19th century.
writtenpeopleother
How it's used
This term refers to a specific historical migration event rather than a general act of traveling. It carries a sense of hardship and survival, as those who participated were often fleeing famine or poverty in their home provinces. It is rarely used in casual conversation unless discussing history or family ancestry.
Examples
His family members also braved the journey to Guandong back then.
Related words
Common phrases
history of the migration to Guandong
the wave of migration to Guandong
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a generic verb phrase for traveling to Northeast China. It is a fixed historical term and should not be used to describe modern tourism or business trips to that region.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
Adjective
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Particle
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
