guilin: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Geographic, Academic, Travel
Quick answer
What does “guilin” mean?
A city in southern China, in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, renowned for its dramatic karst landscape and scenic beauty.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A city in southern China, in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, renowned for its dramatic karst landscape and scenic beauty.
By extension, it can refer to the style of landscape art inspired by the region, or as a metonym for exceptional natural beauty in a Chinese context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Pronunciation follows anglicised conventions in each variety.
Connotations
Connotes picturesque scenery, tourism, and classical Chinese landscape painting in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both varieties, encountered primarily in geographic, travel, or cultural contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “guilin” in a Sentence
[Guilin] + [be verb] + [adjective phrase][Verb of motion] + [to/from/in] + [Guilin][Guilin] + [possessive] + [noun]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “guilin” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
American English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
American English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- [Not standard. Possible nonce use: 'Guilin-esque scenery']
American English
- [Not standard. Possible nonce use: 'a Guilin-like landscape']
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in tourism, hospitality, or cultural exchange sectors (e.g., 'expanding our tour operations to Guilin').
Academic
Used in geography, geology (karst formations), art history (landscape painting), and Chinese studies.
Everyday
Used in travel conversations and documentaries (e.g., 'We're planning a trip to Guilin next year').
Technical
In geology/geomorphology, referring to the Guilin karst as a classic example of tower karst topography.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “guilin”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “guilin”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “guilin”
- Misspelling as 'Guiling' or 'Ghuilin'.
- Mispronouncing the first syllable as /ɡuː/ (like 'goo') instead of /ɡweɪ/ or /ɡwi/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency proper noun, primarily used in specific contexts like geography, travel, and art history.
In British English, it is commonly pronounced /ˌɡweɪˈlɪn/, with the first syllable sounding like 'gway'.
Guilin is famous for its dramatic karst landscape of limestone hills, the scenic Li River, and its inspiration for traditional Chinese landscape painting.
Not in standard usage. It is a proper noun (a place name). Descriptively, one might say 'Guilin scenery' or 'Guilin landscape', where it functions attributively.
A city in southern China, in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, renowned for its dramatic karst landscape and scenic beauty.
Guilin is usually geographic, academic, travel in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not a common source for English idioms]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'GUI' as in 'guide book' and 'LIN' as in 'limestone' – a place you need a guide for, famous for its limestone hills.
Conceptual Metaphor
GUILIN IS A PAINTING (e.g., 'The landscape looks like a watercolour').
Practice
Quiz
Guilin is most closely associated with which geographical feature?