| 释义 |
洋行 yánɡhánɡ noun dated ① （指由外商设立） foreign firm ▸ 充当洋行买办 serve as compradors ② （指与外商做生意） firm doing business with foreigners 洋行Foreign trading companies based in China from the late 18th century, some of which engaged in the opium trade. Their influence and size grew steadily in the 19th and early part of the 20th century, and they held a monopoly on Chinese foreign trade. Foreign managers were commonly known as taipans (→ 大班), and the Chinese managers they hired were known as compradors (→ 买办). After 1949, the activities of these companies on the Chinese mainland came to an end, although they continued to exist in Hong Kong and Taiwan. |