What's 印象 mean really? This word's popping up everywhere.

[vellocet]

So in the past couple of years 印象 is used everywhere.  It's in the name of several commercial areas.  The dictionary says "impression" but I don't really grok what it means.  Examples: 印象南塘, where Nantang is kind of like the River Walk in San Antonio, a strip with cafes, bars, shops on both sides of the water. "Impression of Nantang"? A new mall just opened up called 印象城, "impression of the city"?  What's that supposed to mean?  The English name is MEGA.  There's 印象里, a kind of open-air mall/food court, which I don't even know what it's trying to say.  "Place where you can get an impression"? The English name is Incity.  I feel I am missing something essential to the meaning of 印象.  

[TaoLiheihei]

印象means impression。But here they have a meaning of  XXX's impression, so 南塘印象means the impression of Nantang. 印象城and印象里，here“城”and“里”means a particular place, like a shopping mall or an area!

[Jim]

It does work largely like "Impressions" - as in making a good one or having a striking impact on the visitor, I presume; just advertising fluff-speak I'd say.  A quick search just found an Impressions Boutique and Impressions Vanity as Western business names.

[EnergyReaper]

agree with @Jim

印象南塘 is a National AAAA Scenic Spot.

Another example: 印象·刘三姐, a famous performace whose chief director is 张艺谋, also the chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Impression—Liu Sanjie

印象·刘三姐

 

[suMMit]

https://www.chengduimpression.com