hong
n. countablen. a large business company in East Asia, especially in Hong Kong. It usually refers to the big trading houses that were started a long time ago.
n. a large commercial firm or trading house operating in East Asia, particularly one established by foreign interests in the 19th century. Often used historically to describe the powerful merchant houses of Hong Kong and Canton.
The old hong managed trade between the two ports for decades.
Many of the modern skyscrapers in the city center are still owned by the descendants of the original hong families.
The economic landscape of colonial Hong Kong was dominated by a few powerful hongs that controlled everything from shipping and insurance to the lucrative opium and tea trades.
Often capitalized when referring to a specific historical firm; primarily used in historical or economic contexts regarding East Asian trade.