sai1 waan4西環西环
Definition
Sai Wan, a district on Hong Kong Island, or figuratively, the Chinese central government.
- Sai Wan, a district on Hong Kong Island west of Sheung Wan and north of Lung Fu Shan
- figurativeThe Central Government of the PRC, in reference to the Liaison Office located there
How it's used
Beyond its literal geographical meaning, this term functions as a common metonym for the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR. Because the office is physically located in the Western District, locals often use the name to refer to the institution itself or to the influence of the central government on local politics. Using it this way carries a specific political connotation that is widely understood in news and casual political discourse.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not confuse the geographical area with the political entity when listening to news reports. While the context usually makes it clear, learners should be aware that mentioning the area in a political conversation might be interpreted as a reference to the government office rather than the neighborhood itself.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
