-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 BTupi6xoaCxXPbcCec1G01EPYUzHht10c9pofSWUmV7UTQUIBWnN302CURZ5UjVQ
 jlR9X7SIjYojAN62YWNq7Q==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001262063-03-000045.txt : 20031124
<SEC-HEADER>0001262063-03-000045.hdr.sgml : 20031124
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031124154322
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001262063-03-000045
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031120
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031124

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CHAN ELENA
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001185625

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31830
		FILM NUMBER:		031020685

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		777 N BROADWAY
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90012

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000861842
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022]
		IRS NUMBER:				954274680
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		777 N BROADWAY
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90012
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2136254700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		777 NORTH BROADWAY
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90012

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	CATHAY BANCORP INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19930328
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-20</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000861842</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CATY</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001185625</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CHAN ELENA</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>777 NORTH BROADWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90012</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>SVP/CFO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>491.36</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-09-17</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-09-17</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></
underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2264</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2264</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>21.25</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-01-20</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-01-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock </value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4836</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7100</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTrans
actionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>30.095</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-01-18</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-01-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>7060</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14160</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Opt
ion</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>32.55</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-02-21</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-02-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>7000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>21160</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>39.85</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2004-01-16</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-01-16</value></expirationDate><un
derlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>11530</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>32690</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>49.60</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-11-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>26710</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-11-20</value><footnoteId id="F7"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-11-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>26710</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>59400</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes 1.25 shares acquired through dividend reinvestment during the year of 2003; but does not include the reporting person's vested interest of 23,686 shares in ESOP as of 12/31/02.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The option vests in 
2 equal annual installments beginning 9/17/02.</footnote><footnote id="F3">612 shares exercisable, balance of the option vests in 3 equal annual installments beginning 1/20/03.</footnote><footnote id="F4">The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 1/18/02.</footnote><footnote id="F5">The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 2/21/03.</footnote><footnote id="F6">The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 1/16/04.</footnote><footnote id="F7">The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 11/20/04.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Elena Chan</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-11-24</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----