Every city in the world has its own soul and its own characteristics, which are created by history and by the people who contribute everyday to make the city alive. If we think about London, for example, the first monument that comes up to our mind is the magnific Big Ben; while, if we think about Beijing maybe the first things that we picture are the Great Wall or the Forbidden City. Nevertheless, a city is not only made by its memorials, but also by its particular lifestyle. That is to say: every city conveys an atmosphere and a way of living, closely linked to the culture of the country itself.  
 
Have you ever thought about the Chinese translation of some words that are purely related to European cities

Let’s start with the lovely UK's capital to boost your curiosity!  

 

THIS IS ENGLAND…

ENGLISH

CHINESE

PRONUNCIATION (pinyin)

London

伦敦

ndūn

UK

英国

Yīngguó

 English language

英语

 Yīngyǔ

 English person

英国人

 Yīngguórén

Underground

地铁

Dìtiě

Queen Elizabeth

伊丽莎白王后

Yīlìshābái wánghòu

British Accent

英国口音

Yīngguó kǒuyīn

 

THIS IS LONDON...

ENGLISH

CHINESE

PRONUNCIATION (pinyin)

Vintage Markets

古董 市场

Gǔdǒng shìchǎng

Fish and Chips

炸鱼和薯条

Zháyú hé shǔtiáo

Afternoon Tea

下午茶

Xiàwǔ chá

Cupcake

纸杯蛋糕

Zhǐbēi dàngāo

Red Bus

双层 巴士

Shuāngcéng bāshì

Musicals

音乐剧

Yīnyuèjù

Pop Culture

流行文化

Liúxíng wénhuà

Shakespeare Theatre

沙士比亚剧院

Shāshìbǐyà jùyuàn


 

It's well known that Chinese people love London and that the city is full of tourists in every season... next time a Chinese tourist stops you asking for directions using a rather hard-to-define English pronunciation, you'll be able now to understand where he or she wants to go thanks to this simple English/Chinese Tourist Vocabulary.

 

TOURIST VOCABULARY IN LONDON

ENGLISH

CHINESE

PRONUNCIATION (pinyin)

Big Ben

大 笨钟

Dàbèn zhōng

London Tower Bridge

伦敦塔桥

Lúndūn tǎqiáo

River Thames

泰晤士河

Tàiwǔ shīhé

London Eye

伦敦眼

Lúndūn yǎn

Westminster Abbey

威斯敏斯特 教堂

Wēisīmǐnsītè Jiàotáng

Harry Potter

哈利波特

Hāli Bōtè

Notting Hill

诺丁山

Nuòdīngshān

Camden Town

康登镇

Kāngdēng zhèn

Hyde Park

海德公园

Hǎidé Gōngyuán

Abbey Road

艾比之路

Àibǐzhī lù