What's 印象 mean really? This word's popping up everywhere.

March 2, 2022 at 05:40 AM

So in the past couple of years 印象 is used everywhere. It's in the name of several commercial areas. The dictionary says "impression" but I don't really grok what it means. Examples: 印象南塘, where Nantang is kind of like the River Walk in San Antonio, a strip with cafes, bars, shops on both sides of the water. "Impression of Nantang"? A new mall just opened up called 印象城, "impression of the city"? What's that supposed to mean? The English name is MEGA. There's 印象里, a kind of open-air mall/food court, which I don't even know what it's trying to say. "Place where you can get an impression"? The English name is Incity. I feel I am missing something essential to the meaning of 印象.

March 2, 2022 at 09:09 AM

印象means impression。But here they have a meaning of XXX's impression, so 南塘印象means the impression of Nantang. 印象城and印象里，here“城”and“里”means a particular place, like a shopping mall or an area!

March 2, 2022 at 01:41 PM

It does work largely like "Impressions" - as in making a good one or having a striking impact on the visitor, I presume; just advertising fluff-speak I'd say. A quick search just found an Impressions Boutique and Impressions Vanity as Western business names.

March 2, 2022 at 01:44 PM

agree with @Jim

印象南塘 is a National AAAA Scenic Spot.

Another example: 印象·刘三姐, a famous performace whose chief director is 张艺谋, also the chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Impression—Liu Sanjie

印象·刘三姐