Heilong Jiang
1
9.0
- proper noun
- The Heilong Jiang serves as a major natural boundary between northeastern China and Russia.
Examples
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The Heilong Jiang is a major river in northeast Asia.
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Trade along the Heilong Jiang has historically linked Chinese and Russian communities.
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Many rare species of fish inhabit the waters of the Heilong Jiang.
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Have you ever visited the Heilong Jiang?
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The Heilong Jiang forms part of the border between China and Russia.
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Many rare species of fish inhabit the waters of the Heilong Jiang.
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Trade along the Heilong Jiang has historically linked Chinese and Russian communities.
Synonyms
1
7.5
A large eastern Asian river forming the China–Russia border and flowing to the Sea of Okhotsk
1
4.6
A large Asian river forming the border between China and Russia and flowing into the Sea of Okhotsk
1
8.4
A river in Asia on the China-Russia border that flows to the Sea of Okhotsk
Surface Forms
Morphology
Heilong + Jiang
This is a transliterated Chinese place name (Heilong Jiang = Amur River) whose constituent parts are non‑English morphemes and are not transparently interpretable by an average B1 English learner — the input even lists 'Jiang' as not found. Unless a learner already knows the Chinese meanings (e.g. 'jiang' = river), the name does not yield its referent from the given constituents, so its meaning is language‑specific and not derivable from the parts.
Etymology
Heilong Jiang comes from Chinese words Heilong ('black dragon') and Jiang ('river'). People saw the river's dark, strong water and thought of a mighty dragon, so the name 'Black Dragon River' stuck and today Heilong Jiang is the Chinese name for the Amur River, which forms part of the border between China and Russia.