Xiamen is a major port city and special economic zone on the southeast coast of Fujian Province, China. Though written with the characters 厦 (Xià) and 门 (mén), its name is not derived from the common meanings of these characters ('mansion' and 'gate')—it is a historical phonetic transcription of the local Minnan pronunciation of 'Amoy', an older Western name for the city. Today, Xiamen is renowned for its mild climate, scenic coastal islands like Gulangyu, and vibrant economy blending trade, education, and tourism.

The word functions exclusively as a proper noun referring to this specific city. It appears in geographical, administrative, travel, and cultural contexts—for example, when naming universities (Xiamen University), airports (Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport), or regional products (Xiamen oyster omelet). Unlike generic nouns, it never takes measure words or plural forms and is always capitalized in English transliteration.