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peking: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Low
UK/ˌpiːˈkɪŋ/US/ˌpiˈkɪŋ/

Historical, formal, or specialized (culinary, historical texts)

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Quick answer

What does “peking” mean?

The historical romanized name for the Chinese capital city now known as Beijing.

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Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

The historical romanized name for the Chinese capital city now known as Beijing.

Often used as a modifier to refer to specific cultural items, dishes, or historical contexts associated with the city (e.g., Peking duck).

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Both varieties now overwhelmingly prefer 'Beijing'. 'Peking' is equally archaic/ specialized in both.

Connotations

Old-fashioned, historical, or related to specific cultural exports (e.g., Peking duck, Peking opera).

Frequency

Extremely low in modern general usage, except in set phrases like 'Peking duck'.

Grammar

How to Use “peking” in a Sentence

[Peking] + Noun (as modifier)in + [Peking]

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
Peking duckPeking operaPeking University
medium
Peking manPekingese (dog)Peking sauce
weak
Peking governmentcity of Pekingvisit Peking

Examples

Examples of “peking” in a Sentence

adjective

British English

  • The antique map showed the Peking city walls.
  • He collects stamps from the Peking era.

American English

  • They serve an authentic Peking duck.
  • The museum has a Peking porcelain collection.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Rare, except in historical company names or the context of 'Peking duck' as a product.

Academic

Used in historical, sinological, or archaeological contexts (e.g., 'Peking Man').

Everyday

Almost exclusively in the phrase 'Peking duck'.

Technical

Used in specific fields like historical geography or paleoanthropology.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “peking”

Strong

Beijing

Neutral

Beijing

Weak

Chinese capitalNorthern Capital

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “peking”

  • Using 'Peking' in contemporary political or news contexts where 'Beijing' is standard.
  • Spelling it as 'Pekin'.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, they refer to the same city. 'Peking' is an older romanization based on a different Chinese dialect, while 'Beijing' is the modern Pinyin romanization.

It is not 'wrong' but is considered outdated for most modern contexts. It is correct and expected in historical discussions and certain fixed phrases like 'Peking duck'.

'Peking duck' is a fixed culinary term that entered English when the old romanization 'Peking' was standard. The name of the dish has been lexicalized in English and remains unchanged.

It is pronounced /ˌpiːˈkɪŋ/ (pee-KING), with a stressed second syllable and a long 'ee' sound in the first.

The historical romanized name for the Chinese capital city now known as Beijing.

Peking is usually historical, formal, or specialized (culinary, historical texts) in register.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: PEKing duck is a dish you EAT. Both 'PEKing' and 'EAT' have a long 'E' sound (/iː/).

Conceptual Metaphor

A CITY IS A RECORD OF HISTORY ('Peking' evokes the historical record, while 'Beijing' evokes the modern entity).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The historical name is now officially replaced by Beijing in English.
Multiple Choice

In which phrase is 'Peking' still commonly used today?

peking: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples | Lingvocore