Hong

Hong is a syllable used as a surname and a given name in East Asia, as well as a component of place names and phrases. It is commonly romanized as Hong, but represents several different Chinese characters, which gives it varied meanings.

In Chinese, Hong corresponds to multiple characters, most commonly 洪 (hóng, meaning flood), 红 (hóng, red), 鸿/鴻 (hóng, swan or grand), and 弘 (hóng, broad or expansive). These characters are used in both surnames and given names, and the precise meaning depends on the character chosen.

In Korea, Hong (홍) is a common surname and also appears as a given-name element. It is typically derived from hanja such as 洪, 弘, or 鴻. In Vietnam, Hồng is a common surname and given name; the form Hong appears in some romanizations without diacritics.

Hong also appears in geography. The best-known example is Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China. The name comes from the Chinese 香港, meaning “fragrant harbour” in Cantonese; 香 means fragrance and 港 means harbour. In Mandarin, the corresponding name is Xianggang.

Usage of the form Hong spans cultures and languages, and it often requires knowledge of the specific character and pronunciation to determine its precise meaning. As a transliteration, it occurs in East Asian names, literature, and in diaspora communities around the world.