Ho-nan

A form of Henan — A province of China. Capital: Zhengzhou.

OriginChinese 河南 →
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

proper noun
  1. alternativedatedAlternative form of Henan (in its various senses).

    Kubilai had spent many years in Ho-nan Province. He had been reared by Chinese educators and cared more for Chinese art, agriculture, and industry than for Mongolian tradition.

    1955, Erwin Lessner, Cradle of Conquerors: Siberia, Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., →LCCN, →OCLC, page 163
    2 more examples

    Why did these Christians suffer? They were not law breakers. They lived at peace with their neighbors. Men call them "Rice Christians." If they were "Rice Christians," why did they suffer? all they needed to do was simply to take the idols, put them back in the old spot, burn a few sticks of incense and kneel down in worship, then they would have escaped the majority of their sufferings. Why did they not bow down before the idols and so escape? Theirs was the same spirit that caused our own covenanting fathers to leave their homes and wander amongst the hills and dales and caves. The same spirit that enabled Ridley, Latimer and a score of others to face boldly and courageously the stake, the guillotine, and the burning pile. Yes, it was real, true Christian heroism that supported our Christians in Ho-nan and carried them through.

    1902, A. Gracie, “The Outlook in Ho-nan”, in China's Millions, China Inland Mission, page 86

    She modestly refused any further titles herself and demurred when, in 691, year two T'ien Shou, it was suggested that she perform the feng-shan sacrifices on Mount Sung in Ho-nan.

    2007, Nigel Cawthorne, Daughter of Heaven, Oneworld Publications, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 165

Origin

  1. Chinese河南
  2. EnglishHo-nan

From the Wade–Giles romanizations of the Chinese 河南 (Hénán, literally “[land] south of the river”), Wade-Giles romanization: Ho²-nan².

More words from Chinese

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Ho-nan. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ho-nan

MLA

“Ho-nan.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ho-nan. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Ho-nan,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ho-nan.

Source: Ho-nan on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.