"Měizhōu" (美洲) literally means "beautiful continent"—'měi' (美) means "beautiful," and 'zhōu' (洲) means "continent." However, in modern Chinese, it is a proper noun referring collectively to the Americas: North America, Central America, and South America. It is used geographically and politically, especially in formal contexts like news, education, or diplomacy, and often appears in compound terms such as "Běi Měizhōu" (North America) or "Nán Měizhōu" (South America).

Unlike English, which distinguishes between "America" (often meaning the U.S.) and "the Americas" (the continents), Chinese uses "Měizhōu" unambiguously for the landmasses—not for any single country. It is never used to refer exclusively to the United States; that requires "Měiguó" (美国). The term carries no inherent cultural or political connotation—it’s neutral and geographic.