Chinese words from maps for travellers

China - the exotic east, source of paper and gunpowder and lots of words you didn't realise you already know. A vast land where a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, although nowadays, with most tourists having more money than time, best not to travel the continent by foot, especially if you don't speak the language(s). You would be advised to take a ship or plane from a city such as Shanghai to Beijing. Here are some handy words and translations.

Beijing - north capital -
Shanghai - shang means above; hai is sea. If you look up meaning of shanghai in a cautionary online you find it is a verb meaning to force somebody onto a ship. Shanghai is a huge port.
Canton - Portuguese pronunciation of Guang-dong
Guang - vast/expanse (huge!)
dong - east
xi - west
Guangdong - literally expanse east, or as we would say in colloquial English, Eastern area

Frankly, I learned all these years ago but they never stuck in my mind. So I have to type them out again to remind myself and you.

If you type in translation you are given links to translation services. The word you need is etymology meaning origin of words.

Some gems I found on the internet:
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/04/24/beijings-subway-stops-literally-translated/

Angela Lansbury, travel writer.