Wan Chai

Wan Chai
Wan Chai as seen from Victoria Harbour
Traditional Chinese	灣仔
Simplified Chinese	湾仔
Literal meaning	"small bay" or "cove"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wānzǎi Yue: Cantonese IPA [wáːn tsɐ̌i] Jyutping waan1 zai2

Wan Chai (/ˌwɑːn ˈtʃaɪ/ Chinese: 灣仔) is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often referred to as Wan Chai North. Wan Chai is one of the busiest commercial areas in Hong Kong with offices of many small and medium-sized companies. Wan Chai North features office towers, parks, hotels and an international conference and exhibition centre. As one of the first areas developed in Hong Kong, the locale is densely populated yet with noticeable residential zones facing urban decay. Arousing considerable public concern, the government has undertaken several urban renewal projects in recent years. There are many unique landmarks and skyscrapers within the area, most notably the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), Central Plaza and Hopewell Centre.

Wan Chai originally began as Ha Wan (下環), literally meaning "a bottom ring" or "lower circuit". As one of the earliest developed areas in Hong Kong along the Victoria Harbour, Central, Sheung Wan ("upper ring"), Sai Wan ("western ring") and Wan Chai are collectively known as the four rings (四環) by the locals. Wan Chai literally means "a cove" in Cantonese from the shape of its coastal line. The area is no longer a cove, however, due to drastic city development and continual land reclamation.