Matsu
name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Pinus thunbergii, the Japanese pine.
- 1 . error-lua-exec, uncountable, usually
"Matsu Islands Like the Kinmens, the Matsu Islands are part of Fukien Province. A political affairs commission is the administrative organ, supported by the Lienkiang Hsien Government. They form the northern anchor of the offshore defense line and seal the mouth of the Min River."
- 2 Alternative form of Mazu (goddess). alt-of, alternative
"Groups of schoolboys neatly dressed in white shorts and yellow cravats, a truck load of maidens in pink and green, another long silk banner and another carriage...it seems as if there are dozens of Matsus, each one accompanied by her retinue of standard bearers, musicians and heralds."
- 3 An island of Lienchiang County, Taiwan, also known as Nangan. uncountable, usually
"The steamer Lee Yuen, when about 30 miles from Foochow, abreast of Fuhyan, on her passage from this port to Foochow, carried away the lignum vitæ bush in the stern tube. She was beached for one tide under the lee of Matsu Island, for temporary repairs, and then proceeded to Foochow, where she has gone into dock."
- 4 A strait between Beigan and Nangan in Lienchiang County, Taiwan (ROC). uncountable, usually
"The one landing strip in the Matsus, and good for light aircraft only, was on the second largest island, Peikan. Between Nankan and Peikan lay the Matsu Straits, a twisted riptide-torn channel, boasting freak winds and bouldered shores."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"Matsu Islands Like the Kinmens, the Matsu Islands are part of Fukien Province. A political affairs commission is the administrative organ, supported by the Lienkiang Hsien Government. They form the northern anchor of the offshore defense line and seal the mouth of the Min River."
Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 松 (“pine”)
From the Wade–Giles romanization of Mandarin pronunciation for 馬祖 (Ma³-tsu³).
From the Wade–Giles romanization of Mandarin 媽祖/妈祖 (Māzǔ).
Related phrases
More for "matsu"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.