Reflections of Chinese character culture in nomenclature: A quantitative linguistic and geolinguistic examination of five-star hotel names in China

Abstract

This study investigates the names of 801 five-star hotels across the Chinese mainland, quantitatively analyzing syllable length, geographical names (city and province names), and common terms within six regions and thirty-one provinces. The research aims to elucidate the lexical characteristics evident in the names of these luxury hotels from a geolinguistic perspective, thus offering insights into China’s linguistic culture. The analysis revealed that the prevalence of five-star hotels correlates significantly with economic size and geographical location. Notable regional differences were observed in the usage of syllable counts and geographical names, with marked distinctions between the north and south, and more subtle variations between the east and west. The employment of city names was particularly prominent. The term jiudian 酒店 emerged as the most frequently used common term, especially in the Central South and Northwest, while fandian 飯店 was more commonly used in the Southwest, North China, and Northeast. Additionally, a diverse array of common terms characterized the nomenclature in the East China region.