Kowloon

[ kou-loon ]

noun

1. a peninsula in southeastern China, opposite Hong Kong Island: a part of the Hong Kong special administrative region of China. 18 sq. mi. (47 sq. km).
2. a seaport on this peninsula.

Kowloon

/ ˈkaʊˈluːn /

noun

1. a peninsula of SE China, opposite Hong Kong Island: part of the former British colony of Hong Kong. Area: 10 sq km (3.75 sq miles)
2. a port in Hong Kong, on Kowloon Peninsula. Pop: 2 019 533 (2006 est)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Kowloon¹

First recorded in 1845–50; from Chinese (Guangdong dialect) Gáu Lùhng “Nine Dragons,” in allusion to the eight mountains in Hong Kong and Zhao Bing ( 1272–79 ), the last emperor of the Song dynasty

Example Sentences

Some of the defendants arrived at the West Kowloon Law Courts half an hour before the hearing.

From BBC

Five of these new, large-scale works were commissioned by a department of Hong Kong’s government for its outdoor art project, “Art@Harbour,” the harbor being Victoria Harbor, which separates Hong Kong Island from the Kowloon Peninsula.

From New York Times

Activist Alexandra Wong, holding a British flag, shouts behind a police line set up outside West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, as activist publisher Jimmy Lai’s trial opens in Hong Kong.

From Seattle Times

That was evident outside Jimmy Lai's trial in the West Kowloon courts.

From BBC

After losing his job, he moved with his elderly mother and younger brother to one of several huts atop a 14-story industrial building in the Kowloon area.

From Seattle Times