boat dwellers; Tanka people; water gypsies
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
boat dwellers; Tanka people; residents living on boats in coastal Guangdong, Fujian, and Guangxi, traditionally engaged in fishing or water transport
This term refers specifically to the Tanka people (疍家), a traditional boat-dwelling community in southern China. "水上居民" is the modern neutral descriptive term, replacing the older terms "疍民" or "疍户" which may carry historical stigma.
Zhè这
xiē些
shuǐ水
shàng上
jū居
mín民
shì世
dài代
yǐ以
bǔ捕
yú鱼
wéi为
shēng生
。
These boat dwellers have made their living from fishing for generations.
Suí随
zhe着
chéng城
shì市
huà化
jìn进
chéng程
，
xǔ许
duō多
shuǐ水
shàng上
jū居
mín民
yǐ已
jīng经
bān搬
dào到
àn岸
shàng上
jū居
zhù住
le了
。
With the urbanization process, many boat dwellers have already moved to live on shore.
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Shuǐ水
shàng上
jū居
mín民
guò过
qù去
bèi被
chēng称
wéi为
dàn疍
mín民
，
xiàn现
zài在
duō多
chēng称
wéi为
dàn疍
jiā家
rén人
。
Boat dwellers were formerly called Danmin, and are now often referred to as Danjia people.
Tā他
men们
de的
chuán船
jì既
shì是
jiāo交
tōng通
gōng工
jù具
，
yě也
shì是
shuǐ水
shàng上
jū居
mín民
de的
jiā家
。
Their boats serve as both transportation and home for the boat dwellers.