美岸
Chinese
| phonetic | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (美岸) | 美 | 岸 | |
| simp. #(美岸) | 美 | 岸 | |
| alternative forms | 密岸 密雁 維甘／维甘 | ||
| Literally: “beautiful shore”. | |||
Etymology
Possibly from Ilocano Bigan or Spanish Bigan, spelled as such in early maps like the Velarde map (1734), from Ilocano biga (“giant taro / Biga'a (Alocasia macrorrhizos)”) + -an (“locative suffix”) where Alocasia macrorrhizos plants once grew abundantly along the banks of the Mestizo River, from which Captain Juan de Salcedo derived the city's name, after a misunderstanding with the locals, who thought he was asking the name of the plants.
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: Měi'àn
- Zhuyin: ㄇㄟˇ ㄢˋ
- Tongyong Pinyin: Měi-àn
- Wade–Giles: Mei3-an4
- Yale: Měi-àn
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Meeiann
- Palladius: Мэйань (Mɛjanʹ)
- Sinological IPA (key): /meɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ˀän⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Philippines)
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Bí-gān
- Tâi-lô: Bí-gān
- Phofsit Daibuun: by'gan
- IPA (Philippines): /bi⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ ɡan⁴¹/
- (Hokkien: Philippines)
Proper noun
美岸
- (～市) Vigan (a city in Ilocos Sur, Philippines)