haa6 waan4下環下环
Jyutpinghaa6 waan4
Yalehah wàahn
Definition
The historical name for the district in Hong Kong covering present-day Wan Chai and Causeway Bay.
datedplaces
How it's used
This term is a historical geographical name that has largely fallen out of common use in favour of modern district names like 灣仔. It specifically refers to the coastal area stretching from 灣仔 towards 銅鑼灣. You will mostly hear it from elderly residents or when discussing the historical development of the northern shore of Hong Kong Island.
Examples
Old people used to love calling that place 'Ha Wan'.
Do you know where 'Ha Wan' actually refers to?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 下環街 in Macau, which is a very famous street name that remains in active use today. Using this term in Hong Kong might confuse younger locals who are unfamiliar with colonial-era district naming conventions.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
