Names of China

China
"China" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese中國
Simplified Chinese中国
Hanyu PinyinZhōngguó
Literal meaningMiddle or Central State[1]
Common name
Traditional Chinese中華
Simplified Chinese中华
Hanyu PinyinZhōnghuá
Uyghur name
Uyghurجۇڭگو

The names of China are expressed differently in different languages and different times. Some of these names come from ancient times, while others are from modern times. In Chinese, the name of China is Zhōngguó (中國/中国, "central country") in its national language, Standard Mandarin. China, while the name in English for the country, came from Portuguese in the 16th century. This became common usage in the West in the subsequent centuries.[2] It is believed to come from Middle Persian. Though some people thought it traced further back to Sanskrit. Some also thought that the ultimate source of the name China is the Chinese word "Qin" (Chinese: 秦), the name of the dynasty of China. However, others have different opinions. [3][4][5]

In addition to these names, names of China also include Zhōnghuá (中華/中华, "central beauty"), Huáxià (華夏/华夏, "beautiful grandness"), Shénzhōu (神州, "divine state") and Jiǔzhōu (九州, "nine states"). Hàn (漢/汉) and Táng (唐) . The People's Republic of China (Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó) and Republic of China (Zhōnghuá Mínguó) are the official names for the two sovereign states now claiming sovereignty over the traditional area of China. "Mainland China" is used to refer to areas under the control of the PRC, usually not including Hong Kong and Macau. [6][7][8][9][10]

There are also names for China used around the world. "Cathay" from the Khitan language and "Tabgach" from Tuoba are examples.

List of derived terms

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References

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  1. ↑ Bilik, Naran (2015), "Reconstructing China beyond Homogeneity", Patriotism in East Asia, Political Theories in East Asian Context, Abingdon: Routledge, p. 105
  2. ↑ Wilkinson 2015.
  3. ↑ Zarrow, Peter Gue (2012). After Empire: The Conceptual Transformation of the Chinese State, 1885-1924. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804778688.
  4. ↑ Esherick (2006), p. 232–233
  5. ↑ Wang, Zhang (2014). Never Forget National Humiliation: Historical Memory in Chinese Politics and Foreign Relations. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-2311-4891-7.
  6. ↑ Zuozhuan "Duke Min - 1st year - zhuan Archived 2022-04-29 at the Wayback Machine" quote: "諸夏親暱不可棄也" translation: "The various Xia are close intimates and can not be abandoned"
  7. ↑ Zuozhuan "Duke Xiang - 4th year - zhuan Archived 2022-04-29 at the Wayback Machine" quote: "諸華必叛" translation: "The various Hua would surely revolt"
  8. ↑ Du Yu, Chunqiu Zuozhuan - Collected Explanations, "Vol. 15". p. 102 of 162 Archived 2022-05-11 at the Wayback Machine quote: "諸華中國"
  9. ↑ Ban Wang. Chinese Visions of World Order: Tian, Culture and World Politics. pp. 270–272.
  10. ↑ Tackett, Nicolas (2017). Origins of the Chinese Nation: Song China and the Forging of an East Asian World Order. Cambridge University Press. pp. 4, 161–2, 174, 194, 208, 280. ISBN 9781107196773.