ho4 naam4河南
Jyutpingho4 naam4
Yalehòh nàahm
Definition
Henan province, or the Haizhu District in southern Guangzhou.
- Henan; a province in central China, with Zhengzhou as its capital
- Southern Guangzhou, particularly referring to the Haizhu District
colloquialplaces
How it's used
Distinguishing between the province and the district depends entirely on context. When referring to the Guangzhou area, it is often used in contrast with 河北, which refers to the northern bank of the Pearl River. Locals in Guangzhou frequently use this term to describe the Haizhu area, carrying a slightly nostalgic or traditional feel compared to the modern name.
Examples
He lives in Haizhu, so it is a long commute to work across the harbor.
Do you know which city is the capital of Henan province?
Related words
Common phrases
local hooligan from the Haizhu area
Common mistake
Learners often assume it only refers to the province in China. In a Guangzhou context, failing to realize it refers to the Haizhu district can lead to significant confusion during navigation or casual conversation.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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.
