Chinese Riddle 5: Names of MTR stations

When learning a language in immersion, two of the most important skills to learn are undoubtedly to eat and to move around the city. So let's not spend all day talking about food, and learn place names!

The case of Hong Kong place names is quite particular. The bilingual history of the ancien colony (well, in HK, more than 20 years can be considered ancien) has given an English names to some places, that may be just a bit different from the Cantonese name (Mongkok vs. wong6 gok3), more than a bit different (Tai Po Market vs. daai6 bou3 heoi1) or even completely differnt (Prince Edwards vs. taai3 zi2).


In any case, most of these proper names are decomposable in meaningful parts, although for locals the meaning is opaque, just like it would be for an English local, who wouldn't know that going to Westminster, he would adress to the Western Monastery. Samely, one would not recognize today Birmingham as the settlement of Beorma's people. Nevertheless, there is a difference between these English cases and Chinese. In Chinese, the words that form these place names have not changed, and most of them are words frequently used today. For instance Twun Tong means Pond View, because Twun: 'view' and Tong: 'Pond'.

Following this logic, would you be able to guess the meaning of these MTR stations?

English nameTranslationChinese nameLine colourJyutping
Admiralty_______ Bell金鐘Bluegam1 zung1
Causeway BayGong ______銅鑼灣Island linetung4 lo4 waan1
Chai WanFirewood ______柴灣Island linecaai4 waan1
Cheung ShaWanLong Sand _______長沙灣Redcoeng4 saa1 waan4
Choi HungRainbow彩虹Greencoi2 hung4
FanlingPowder Ridge粉嶺Bluefan2 leng5
Fo Tan______ beach火炭Bluefo2 taan3
Hang HauWell ______坑口Purplehaang1 hau2
Heng Fa ChuenApricot Estate杏花邨Island linehang6 faa1 cyun1
Ho Man TinEvery language's Field何文田Greenho4 man4 tin4
Hong Kong______ Harbour香港Greenhoeng1 gong2
Hung Hom_______ Cliff紅磡Bluehung4 ham3
Kowloon Tong_____ dragons _____九龍塘Bluegau2 lung4 tong4
Kwai Fong______ fragance葵芳Redkwai4 fong1
Kwai HingFlowering Palm葵興Redkwai4 hing1
Kwun TongPond View觀塘Greengun1 tong4
Lai Chi KokLychee Corner荔枝角Redlai6 zi1 gok3
Lai King______ View荔景Redlai6 ging2
Lam TimBlue ______藍田Greenlaam4 tin4
Lohas ParkHealth City康城Purplehong1 sing4
Lok FuJoyful prosperity樂富Greenlok6 fu3
Long PingLong Screen朗屏Purplelong5 ping4
MongkokProsperous ______旺角Greenwong6 gok3
Nam CheingNanchang南昌Purplenaam4 coeng1
Ngau Tau KokOx Head ______牛頭角Greenngau4 tau4 gok3
North PointNorthern ______北角Island linebak1 gok3
Prince EdwardsCrown ______太子Greentaai3 zi2
Quarry BayGoldfish Stream鰂魚涌Island linezak1 jyu4 cung1
Sai Wan Ho______ ______ River西灣河Island linesai1 waan1 ho2
Sham Shui PoDeep ______ Bay深水埗Redsam1 soei2 bou2
ShatinSand ______沙田Bluesaa1 tin4
Shatin Wai______ walled village沙田圍Brownsaa1 tin4 wai4
Shau Kei WanBambou Basket _____筲箕灣Island linesaau1 gei1 waan1
Shek MunStone ______石門Brownsek6 mun4
Sheung ShuiUpper _______上水Bluesoeng5 soei2
Sheung Wan_______Ring上環Island linesoeng5 waan4
Sunny BayJoyful _______欣澳Purplejan1 ou3
Tai Po Market_______ Port Market大埔墟Bluedaai6 bou3 hoei1
Tai Shui HangGreat ______Channel大水坑Browndaai6 soei2 haang1
Tai Wai_______ _______大圍Browndaai6 wai4
Tai Wo_______ Peace太和Bluetaai3 wo4
Tai Wo Hau_______Nest _______大窩口Reddaai6 wo1 hau2
Tin Hau_______ Queen天后Island linetin1 hau6
Tin Shui WaiDivine _______ _____天水圍Purpletin1 soei2 wai4
Tsim Sha Tsui_______ Mouth Point尖沙咀Redzim1 saa1 zoei2
Tsuen WanComplete _______荃灣Redcyun4 waan1
Tuen MunGarrison _______屯門Purpletyun4 mun4
Wan ChaiLittle _______灣仔Island linewaan1 zai2
Wham Poa_______ port黃埔Greenwong6 bou3
Wu Kai ShaDark River _______烏溪沙Brownwu1 kai1 saa1
Yau Ma TeiHemp ______ Land油麻地Greenjau4 maa4 dei2
Yau Tong_______ _______油塘Greenjau4 tong4

You will find the solutions here




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