HOU

Hou is a syllable that appears in several languages and is used as a romanization for multiple Chinese surnames and given names. It also functions as an acronym in modern usage.

In Mandarin pinyin, hou represents several characters, most notably 侯 and 后. The character 侯 denotes a noble title such as marquis, while 后 can mean queen or empress, and also after. Both characters are common in Chinese surnames, and the surname Hou is widely found among Chinese communities around the world.

A notable bearer of the surname Hou is Hou Yifan, a Chinese chess grandmaster who has held the women's world chess championship title. Her prominence illustrates how the surname Hou appears across various fields and cultures.

In travel and transport, HOU is the IATA airport code for William P. Hobby Airport near Houston, Texas. The code is used on tickets, baggage tags, and in flight information. The sequence HOU is also encountered in sports standings and schedules to denote Houston-based teams.

Beyond Chinese and aviation contexts, hou can appear as part of longer proper nouns in various languages and as a transliteration in many East Asian names. The meaning of the term therefore depends on its linguistic or contextual setting, ranging from personal names to geographic or logistical identifiers.