The word "檀香山" is formed by combining three characters: 檀 (tán), meaning sandalwood; 香 (xiāng), meaning fragrant; and 山 (shān), meaning mountain. Together, 檀香 (tánxiāng) refers to sandalwood, a fragrant wood, and when 山 is added, it literally means "Sandalwood Fragrant Mountain", which is the Chinese name for Honolulu, derived from the sandalwood trade and geographical features associated with Hawaii.