As well as referring to the system as a whole, the Pearl River name is applied to a specific branch within it. This Pearl River is the widestdistributary within the delta, although notably short; the waters that converge east of the Bei are first referred to as the Pearl River just north ofGuangzhou. The Pearl River'sestuary,Bocca Tigris, is regularly dredged so as to keep it open for ocean vessels. The mouth of the Pearl River forms a large bay in the southeast of the delta, thePearl River Estuary, the Bocca Tigris separatesShiziyang in the north,Lingdingyang in the south, andJiuzhouyang at the southern tip of the estuary surrounded by theWanshan Archipelago. This bay separatesMacau andZhuhai fromHong Kong andShenzhen.
The name "Pearl River" comes from the pearl-colored shells that lie within the Pearl's riverbed as it flows through the city of Guangzhou. A 500 kV power line, suspended from three of the tallest pylons in the world, crosses the river near theNansha Bridge.
Numerous brands are named after the river. TheZhujiang Brewery in Guangzhou is one of the three largest domestic breweries in China, and Pearl River Bridge is a popular food manufacturer in the city.
