Exmngg Chi

Exmngg (MTLP: E+mngg; Harnji: 廈門/下門; Xiamen)

Xiamen was the port of trade first used by Europeans (mainly the Portuguese) in 1541. It was China's main port in the nineteenth century for exporting tea. As a result, Hokkien (also known as the Amoy dialect) had a major influence on how Chinese terminology was translated into English and other European languages. For example, the words "Amoy" (廈門/下門; Exmuii), "tea" (茶; tee), "cumshaw" (感謝; kafmsia), and "Pekoe" (白毫; peqhQo), kowtow (磕頭; khaothaau), and possibly Japan (Jidpurn) and "ketchup" (茄汁; kiQzab) originated from Hokkien. The words "Amoy" and "Quemoy" (金門; Kimmuii) more specifically originate from the Ciangciw accent of the Amoy dialect.