Meanings
alternative obsolete Hangtchou · alternative obsolete Hang-chau · alternative obsolete Hangchoo · alternative obsolete Hangtchoo · alternative obsolete Hangcheu · alternative obsolete Hampcheu · alternative dated Hangchow · alternative Hangchou · alternative Hang-chou
- A prefecture-level city, the provincial capital of Zhejiang, in eastern China; a former imperial capital.
A former imperial capital famed for its West Lake and surrounding temples, Hangzhou has lately grown famous as the hometown of internet commerce giant Alibaba.
2021 August 22, “Top official in eastern China’s Hangzhou under investigation”, in AP News, archived from the original on 22 Aug 20213 more examples
In the Province of Chekiang, near the chief City of Hangcheu, runs a River, which in regard of its courſe, is called ſometimes Che, at other times Cientang, and in ſome places Cingan.
[1669, John Nievhoff, translated by John Ogilby, An Embassy from the Eaſt-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham Emperour of China, London: John Macock, →OCLC, page 238Tibetan colors and gilding are frequently mentioned in Chinese texts, and several monuments survive northwest of Beijing and in Hangzhou in southeast China that were designed by Tibetan monks and were very likely built and carved by both Tibetan and Chinese artists.
1983, Pratapaditya Pal, Art of Tibet, →ISBN, page 30China’s outbreaks and the ensuing restrictions have led to a number of events being canceled or postponed, most recently the Asian Games originally scheduled for September in the city of Hangzhou, 177 kilometers (110 miles) west of Shanghai.
2022 May 13, “Shanghai will try to ease 7-week virus lockdown in few days”, in AP News, archived from the original on 13 May 2022 - The adjacent bay of the East China Sea, separating Shanghai from Ningbo.
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounA prefecture-level city, the provincial capital of Zhejiang, in eastern China; a former imperial capital.
Origin
From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of Mandarin 杭州 (Hángzhōu), from its former role as the seat of Hang Prefecture (also 杭州 (Hángzhōu)), folk etymologized as a reference to King Yu's ferry over the Qiantang on his way to Shaoxing but more likely a transliteration of an earlier Baiyue placename.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic هَانْجْتْشُو, خَانْجْتْشُو
- هَانْجْتْشُو (hāngtšū)a city of China
- خَانْجْتْشُو (ḵāngtšū)a city of China
- هَانْغْجُو (hāngjū)a city of China
Chinese Cantonese 杭州
- 杭州 (hong⁴ zau¹)a city of China
Chinese Mandarin 杭州
- 杭州 (Hángzhōu)a city of China
Finnish Hangzhou
- Hangzhoua city of China
Hindi हांगझोऊ
- हांगझोऊ (hāṅgjhoū)a city of China
Hungarian Hangcsou
- Hangcsoua city of China
Japanese 杭州
- 杭州 (Kōshū)a city of China
Korean 항저우, 항주
- 항저우 (Hangjeou)a city of China
- 항주 (Hangju)a city of China
Polish Hangzhou
- Hangzhoua city of China
Russian Ханчжо́у
- Ханчжо́у (Xančžóu)a city of China
Vietnamese Hàng Châu
- Hàng Châua city of China
Cite this entry
Hangzhou. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hangzhou
“Hangzhou.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hangzhou. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Hangzhou,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hangzhou.
Source: Hangzhou on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.