The different usages and names for China in world languages is generally consistent with how knowledge of China's existence first reached that culture, by two distinct routes:

• the northern land-route through Central Asia to East Asia
  • The "land of the Seres" became known in the Europe as the "Empire of Cathay," based on the name "Khitan", who were a dominant tribe in Northern China at the time of Marco Polo's expeditions in the Middle Ages. "Manji" (from Chinese Manzi) was the name Polo used to refer to southern China, which had recently been conquered by Kublai Khan.
• the southern sea-route
  • The name has nearly always been some form of the name (in IPA notation) */tʃina/, such as China, Chin, Sin, and Sinoe.

Most Chinese people (ie. those familiar with Chinese ethnic divisions) carefully make a distinction between China proper — inhabited by ethnic Han Chinese (often referred to simply as "Chinese" outside of China), and China, which also includes Tibetans, Uyghurs, Zhuang, Yanbianese Koreans, Mongols, Manchus, and many other Chinese ethnic groups. Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ... East Asia can be defined in either cultural or geographic terms. ... Seres (Σηρες) was the ancient Greek and Roman name for China and its inhabitants. ... World map showing location of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Cathay is the name that was given to northern China by Marco Polo. ... The Khitan, in Chinese Qidan (契丹 Pinyin: Qìdān), were an ethnic group which dominated much of Manchuria and was classified in Chinese history as one of the Tungus ethnic groups (東胡族 dōng hú zú). ... Marco Polo, after a painting in Badia, Rome Marco Polo (b. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Manji (卍) is the Japanese word for swastika. ... Kublai Khan or Khubilai Khan (1215 – 1294), Mongol military leader, was Khan (1260-1294) of the Mongol Empire and founder and first Emperor (1279-1294) of the Chinese Yuan Dynasty. ... Sunset at sea Wiktionary has a definition of: Sea Wiktionary has a definition of: maritime A sea is a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, or a large, usually saline, lake that lacks a natural outlet such as the Caspian Sea and the Dead Sea. ... The International Phonetic Alphabet. ... The Peoples Republic of China officially describes itself as a multinational unitary state and as such officially recognizes 56 nationalities or Mínzú (民族), within China: the Han being the majority (>92%), and the remaining 55 nationalities being the national minorities. ... The term China proper is usually used to refer to the historical heartlands of China, and to make a contrast between these heartlands and frontier regions of Outer China (Inner Asia). ... Han Chinese (Simplified Chinese: 汉族; Traditional Chinese: 漢族; pinyin: ) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ... A Tibetan man from Kham The Tibetan people are a people living in Tibet and some surrounding areas. ... Uyghurs (also called Uighurs, Uygurs, or Uigurs) (Simplified Chinese: 维吾尔; Traditional Chinese: 維吾爾; pinyin: ) are a Turkic ethnic group of people living in northwestern China (mainly in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where they are the largest ethnic group together with Han people), Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. ... The Zhuang people (Traditional Chinese: 壯族, Simplified Chinese: 壮族, Hanyu Pinyin: Zhuàngzú; own name: BouчcueÅ‹ÑŒ/Bouxcuengh) are an ethnic group of people who mostly live in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. ... Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture has become the traditional homeland of most Koreans in China around the end of the Manchu Dynasty (late 19th centuries. ... Honorary guard of Mongolia. ... The Manchu (Manchu: Manju; Chinese: 滿族 pinyin: MÇŽnzú; often shortened to 滿, MÇŽn) are an ethnic group who originated in Manchuria. ... The Peoples Republic of China officially describes itself as a multinational unitary state and as such officially recognizes 56 nationalities or Mínzú (民族), within China: the Han being the majority (>92%), and the remaining 55 nationalities being the national minorities. ...

On the other hand, many others — particularly those advocating independence or greater autonomy for Tibet and other non-Han Chinese regions, tend to equate China with China proper. Tibet (Tibetan: བོད་, Bod, pronounced pö in Lhasa dialect; Chinese: 西藏, pinyin: XÄ«zàng; older spelling Thibet) is a region and former independent country in Central Asia and the home of the Tibetan people. ... Han Chinese (Simplified Chinese: 汉族; Traditional Chinese: 漢族; pinyin: ) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ... The term China proper is usually used to refer to the historical heartlands of China, and to make a contrast between these heartlands and frontier regions of Outer China (Inner Asia). ...

Han Chinese names

In modern China, the term Zhongguo is used to refer to all of China, including China proper, Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Tibet. By contrast, Han refers to the Han Chinese ethnic group, who are mostly concentrated in China proper, Manchuria, and only parts of the other 3 regions. There is no general Chinese term for just China proper, or just the territories inhabited by Han Chinese. The term China proper is usually used to refer to the historical heartlands of China, and to make a contrast between these heartlands and frontier regions of Outer China (Inner Asia). ... Extent according to Definition 1 (dark red), Definition 3 (dark red + medium red) and Definition 4 (dark red + medium red + light red) Manchuria (Manchu: Manju, Simplified Chinese: 满洲; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; pinyin: ) and Northeast China (Simplified Chinese: 东北; Traditional Chinese: 東北; pinyin: ; literally east-north) are names of a vast region in Northeast Asia. ... Inner Mongolia (Mongolian: ᠥᠪᠦᠷ ᠮᠣᠨᠺᠤᠯᠤᠨ ᠥᠪᠡᠷᠲᠡᠺᠡᠨ ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠬᠤ ᠣᠷᠤᠨ r Mongghul-un bertegen Jasaqu Orun; Chinese: 内蒙古自治区; Hanyu Pinyin: N i Měnggǔ Z qū) is an Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Xinjiang (Chinese: æ–°ç–†; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hsin1-chiang1; Postal Pinyin: Sinkiang; literal meaning: New Frontier; Uyghur: ), full name Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Tibet (Tibetan: བོད་, Bod, pronounced pö in Lhasa dialect; Chinese: 西藏, pinyin: XÄ«zàng; older spelling Thibet) is a region and former independent country in Central Asia and the home of the Tibetan people. ... Han Chinese (Simplified Chinese: 汉族; Traditional Chinese: 漢族; pinyin: ) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ... The term China proper is usually used to refer to the historical heartlands of China, and to make a contrast between these heartlands and frontier regions of Outer China (Inner Asia). ... Extent according to Definition 1 (dark red), Definition 3 (dark red + medium red) and Definition 4 (dark red + medium red + light red) Manchuria (Manchu: Manju, Simplified Chinese: 满洲; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; pinyin: ) and Northeast China (Simplified Chinese: 东北; Traditional Chinese: 東北; pinyin: ; literally east-north) are names of a vast region in Northeast Asia. ... The term China proper is usually used to refer to the historical heartlands of China, and to make a contrast between these heartlands and frontier regions of Outer China (Inner Asia). ... Han Chinese (Simplified Chinese: 汉族; Traditional Chinese: 漢族; pinyin: ) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ...

Zhonghua is a more literary term used synonymously with Zhongguo; it appears in the official names of both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China. Tang is used synonymously with Han among southern Chinese, though some restrict the term further to refer to just Cantonese or some other south Chinese language group. National motto: None Official language Mandarin Chinese Capital and largest city Taipei President Chen Shui-bian Premier Frank Hsieh Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 138th 35,980 km² 2. ... Cantonese (粵語/粤语, lit. ...

Zhongguo

Central Empire (中國/中国 pinyin: zhōngguó) in Mandarin Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ... Mandarin   listen?(Traditional: 北方話, Simplified: 北方话, Hanyu Pinyin: BÄ›ifānghuà, lit. ...

The Chinese traditionally positioned the emperor of China at the center of the world, conceiving concentric rings that extends from the cultural center to barbarlic borderlands. This notion was accepted in Korea, Vietnam and other countries to some degree, but not in the "northwestern crescent" that includes Mongolia, Turkestan and Tibet. They did not have terms to refer to this concept in the first place. The ROC and PRC impose it on them either by literal translation or transliteration. This word can be traced back as early as Zhou dynasty. The Zhou Dynasty (周朝; Wade-Giles: Chou Dynasty) (late 10th century BC to late 9th century BC - 256 BC) followed the Shang (Yin) Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty in China. ...

• Indonesian: Tiongkok (from the Min-nan name for China)
• Chinese: Zhōngguó (中國； 中国)
• Japanese: Chūgoku (中国; ちゅうごく)
• Korean: Jungguk (중국; 中國)
• Vietnamese: Trung Quốc
• Manchu:
• Tibetan: Krung-go (ཀྲུང་གོ་)
• Mongol:
• Uighur: Junggo (جۇڭگو)
• Zhuang: Cunghgoz

Mǐn Nán (also spelt Minnan or Min-nan; Simplified Chinese: 闽南语, Traditional Chinese: 閩南語; native name Bân-lâm-gú), literally, the Southern Min or Southern Fujian language, is the language/dialect of southern Fujian province, China and neighboring areas, and descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora. ...

Zhonghua

Middle Prosperity (中華/中华 pinyin: zhōnghuá) in Mandarin, originally referred to the culturally rich Henan. In Chinese it is used today only in certain compounds (e.g. 中华文化 "Chinese culture") or for poetic effect, and carries a positive connotation, unlike zhongguo, which is neutral. Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ... Mandarin   listen?(Traditional: 北方話, Simplified: 北方话, Hanyu Pinyin: BÄ›ifānghuà, lit. ... Henan (Chinese: 河南; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ho-nan), is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. ...

• Indonesian: Tionghua (from the Min-nan counterpart)
• Japanese: Chūka (中華; ちゅうか)
• Vietnamese: Trung Hoa

Overseas Chinese are referred to as huaqiao (華僑 or 华侨), literally "Chinese overseas", or "huayi" (華裔 or 华裔), literally "Chinese descendent" (i.e., Chinese children born overseas). Mǐn Nán (also spelt Minnan or Min-nan; Simplified Chinese: 闽南语, Traditional Chinese: 閩南語; native name Bân-lâm-gú), literally, the Southern Min or Southern Fujian language, is the language/dialect of southern Fujian province, China and neighboring areas, and descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora. ... Overseas Chinese (華僑 in pinyin: huáqiáo, or 華胞 huábāo, or 僑胞 qiáobāo) are ethnic Chinese who live outside of the China. ...

Han

The name Han (漢/汉 pinyin: hàn) comes from the Han Dynasty, who presided over China's first golden age. During the Sixteen Kingdoms and Northern and Southern Dynasties periods, various non-Chinese ethnic groups invaded from the north and conquered North China, which they held for several centuries. It was during this period that people began to use the term "Han" to refer to the natives of North China, who (unlike the invaders) were the descendants of the subjects of the Han Dynasty. Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ... Han commanderies and kingdoms AD 2. ... The Sixteen Kingdoms, or less commonly the Sixteen States, were a collection of numerous short-lived sovereignities in the China proper and neighboring areas from AD 304 to 439 after the retreat of the Jin Dynasty (265-420) to South China and before the establishment of the Northern Dynasties. ... This article is about China. ... Han commanderies and kingdoms AD 2. ...

During the Yuan Dynasty Mongolian ruler divided people into four classes i.e. Mongolians, Color-eyeds, Hans and Southerns. The northern Chinese were called Han, considered to be the highest class of Chinese. The name "Han" became popularly accepted.

During the Qing Dynasty, the Manchu rulers also used the name Han to distinguish the local Chinese from the Manchus. When the Republic was set up, the Han became a nationality name.

Today the term Han Chinese is used by the People's Republic of China to refer to the most populous of the 56 officially recognized ethnic groups of China. The "Han Chinese" are simply referred to as "Chinese" outside of China, especially among advocates of independence for non-Han regions. Han Chinese (Simplified Chinese: 汉族; Traditional Chinese: 漢族; pinyin: ) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ... The Peoples Republic of China officially describes itself as a multinational unitary state and as such officially recognizes 56 nationalities or Mínzú (民族), within China: the Han being the majority (>92%), and the remaining 55 nationalities being the national minorities. ...

Tang

The name Tang (唐 pinyin: táng, Cantonese: tong4) comes from the Tang Dynasty, who presided over China's second golden age. It was during the Tang Dynasty that South China was finally and fully Sinicized; hence it is usually South Chinese who refer to themselves as "Tang". For example, Chinatowns worldwide are usually dominantly Cantonese; they are hence referred to generally as Tong-yan-gaai (唐人街 pinyin: tángrénjiē), or "Street (i.e., town) of Tang People". The name karate (空手）(a form of martial arts) was originally written as (唐手) (Chinese: Tangshou, Japanese: karate; meaning: Chinese hands) in respect of its Chinese origin. Cantonese people may also use Tang to refer exclusively to Cantonese themselves. Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ... The Tang Dynasty (唐朝 pinyin: tángcháo) (June 18, 618 – June 4, 907) followed the Sui Dynasty and preceded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. ... New York City is home to one of the largest Chinatowns in North America, and is centered around Canal Street in the borough of Manhattan. ... Cantonese people (Chinese: 廣東人, Simplified Chinese: 广东人) are originated from the present-day Guangdong province in southern China. ... Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ... Karate or karate-do (空手道) is a martial art of Okinawan origin. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... Karate or karate-do (空手道) is a martial art of Okinawan origin. ...

Huaxia

The name Huaxia (华夏 pinyin: huáxià) is the combination of two words: Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ...

• Hua which means prosper.
• Xia which could mean the Xia dynasty or grandiose.

This word has been widely used to refer to Huang He river valley similar to Middle Prosper before Han become popular. The Xia Dynasty (Chinese: 夏朝; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hsia-chao), ca. ... For other Yellow Rivers, see Yellow River (disambiguation). ...

Tianxia

Tianxia (天下 pinyin: tiānxià) literally means "under heaven". This term is usually used in the context of civil wars or periods of division, where whoever ends up reunifying China is said to have gotten tianxia, or everything under heaven. Although it was known since ancient times that that this is, geographically speaking, not strictly true, this metaphor is nevertheless very common in both ancient and modern usage. Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ...

Jiuzhou

The name Jiuzhou (九州 pinyin: jiǔ zhōu) means nine states. The word originate during the middle of Warring States Period of China. During the time, the Huang He river region was divided into 9 geographical regions. Thus name was thus coined. Consult Zhou for more information. Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ... Alternative meaning: Warring States Period (Japan) The Warring States Period (traditional Chinese: 戰國時代, simplified Chinese: 战国时代 pinyin Zhànguó Shídài) takes place from sometime in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by Qin in 221 BC. It is nominally considered to be the second part of the... The zhōu (州) was a historical political division of China. ...

Chixian Shenzhou

Divine Land (神州 pinyin Shénzhōu) come from the same period as Jiuzhou. It was thought that the world was divided into 9 major states. Each of the 9 major states was divided into 9 small states. And one of the small state consists of the Jiuzhou mentioned above. This small state was called 赤县神州 (pinyin Chìxiàn-Shénzhōu) Red Territory and Divine Land. Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ... Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ...

Sihai

Four Seas (四海 pinyin sìhǎi) sometimes is used to refer to China, other times it simply means "the country". It come from the ancient thinking that land was surrounded by sea in all four directions. Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ...

Other names

Names used in Asia, especially East and Southeast Asia are usually derived directly from words in a language of China learned through the land-route. Those languages belonging to a former dependency (tributary) or Chinese-influenced country have especially similar pronunciation with those of Chinese. Those used in European languages have indirect names that came via the sea-route and bear little resemblance to what is used in China. World map showing location of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... East Asia can be defined in either cultural or geographic terms. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... For treatment of the various forms of spoken Chinese, see Chinese spoken languages. ... Most of the many indigenous languages of Europe belong to the Indo-European language family. ...

Chin

From Sanskrit Cin (चीन IPA: //), possibly derives from the name of the Qin Empire (2nd century BC). Wikinews has news related to: China The Great Wall of China, stretching over 6,700 km, was erected beginning in the 3rd century BC to protect the north from raiders on horseback. ... The Sanskrit language ( संस्कृता वाक्) is one of the earliest attested members of the Indo-European language family and is not only a classical language, but also an official language of India. ... The Qin Dynasty (Wade-Giles) (秦朝 221 BC - 207 BC) was preceded by the Zhou Dynasty and followed by the Han Dynasty in China. ... (3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events BC 168 Battle of Pydna -- Macedonian phalanx defeated by Romans BC 148 Rome conquers Macedonia BC 146 Rome destroys Carthage in the Third Punic War BC 146 Rome conquers...

Marco Polo described China specifically as Chin, which is the word used in Persian, the main lingua franca on his route. Barbosa (1516) and Garcia de Orta (1563) mentioned China. Marco Polo, after a painting in Badia, Rome Marco Polo (b. ... Persian (فارسی / پارسی), (local name in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan: ‘Fârsi’), ‘Pârsi’ (older local name, but still used by some speakers), Tajik (a Central Asian dialect) or Dari (another local name in Tajikistan and Afghanistan), is a language spoken in Iran (Persia), Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, western Pakistan, Bahrain, and elsewhere. ... Lingua franca, literally Frankish language in Italian, was originally a mixed language consisting largely of Italian plus a vocabulary drawn from Turkish, Persian, French, Greek and Arabic and used for communication throughout the Middle East. ... Garcia de Orta was a renaissance portuguese medical doctor and naturalist. ...

• Albanian: Kinë
• Amharic: Chayna (from English; pronounced the same, with /ai/ dipthong)
• Bable: Xina
• Basque: Txina
• Bangla/Bengali: Chin (চীন IPA: //)
• Bosnian: Kina
• Catalan: Xina (IPA /ʃina/)
• Czech: Čína (IPA /ʧi:na/)
• Danish: Kina
• Dutch: China
• English: China (IPA /'ʧaɪnə/)
• Esperanto: Ĉinujo or Ĉinio or Ĥinujo
• Estonian: Hiina
• Filipino (Tagalog): Tsina
• Finnish: Kiina
• French: Chine (IPA /ʃin/)
• Greek: Κίνα (Kína)
• German: China (IPA /'çi:na/, in some southern dialects also /'ki:na/)
• Hebrew: Sin (סִין)
• Hindi: Cheen (IPA /चीन/)
• Hungarian: Kína (IPA /ki:nɒ/)
• Irish: An tSín (IPA /ən ˈtʲi:nʲ/)
• Indonesian: Cina
• Italian: Cina (IPA /ˈʧi:na/)
• Interlingua: China
• Japanese: Shina (支那) — considered offensive in China but not Japan, see Shina (word)
• Lithuania: Kinija
• Norwegian: Kina
• Pahlavi: čīnī
• Persian: Chin چين
• Polish: Chiny (IPA /'xinı/)
• Portuguese: China (IPA /ʃi'nɐ/)
• Romanian: China (IPA /ki:na/)
• Serbian: Кина (IPA /ki:na/)
• Slovak: Čína (IPA /ʧi:na/)
• Spanish: China (IPA /ʧi:na/)
• Swedish: Kina (IPA /'ɕi:na/)
• Thai: Jiin (จีน)
• Turkish: Çin
• Tamil: Cheenaa
• Urdu: čīn (چين)
• Welsh: Tsieina

The mention of the Chinas in ancient Sanskrit literature, both in the Laws of Manu and in the Mahabhārata, has often been supposed to prove the application of the name before the predominance of the Qin Dynasty.It is said purportedly that the coupling of that name with the Daradas, still surviving as the people of Dardistan, on the Indus River, suggests it as more probable that those names 'Cin' 'China' were a kindred race of mountaineers, whose name as Shinas in fact likewise remains applied to a branch of the Dard ethnicity(?). The International Phonetic Alphabet. ... Symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet. ... Hindi (हिन्दी) is a language spoken in most states in northern and central India. ... Shina (支那) is a Japanese term that is viewed by most Chinese people as a highly offensive racist term for China. ... The letter ழ் is a consonant believed to be unique to Tamil and Malayalam Tamil is a classical language and one of the major languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. ... The Sanskrit language ( संस्कृता वाक्) is one of the earliest attested members of the Indo-European language family and is not only a classical language, but also an official language of India. ... Open Directory Project: Literature World Literature Electronic Text Archives Magazines and E-zines Online Writing Writers Resources Libraries, Digital Cataloguing, Metadata Distance Learning Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Classicism in Literature The Universal Library, by Carnegie Mellon University Project Gutenberg Online Library Abacci - Project Gutenberg texts matched with Amazon... The Hindu Kush, Hindū Kūsh, Hindoo Koosh or Hindukush (هندوکش in Persian) is a mountain range in Afghanistan as well as in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. ... The Indus (Daria-e-Sindh, सिन्‍धु नदी) (known as Sindhu to Indians and in Sanskrit, as Sinthos in Greek, and Sindus in Latin) is the principal river of Pakistan. ...

Sin

A name possibly of origin separate from "Chin" A name is a label for a thing, person, place, product (as in a brand name) and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ...

• Arabic: Sin صين
• Latin/Greek: Sinæ
• English (prefix of adjectives): Sino- (i.e. Sino-American)

The name probably came to Europe through the Arabs, who made the China of the farther east into Sin, and perhaps sometimes into Thin. Hence the Thin of the author of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, who appears to be the first extant writer to employ the name in this form; hence also the Sinæ and Thinae of Ptolemy. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (Periplus Maris Erythraei ) is a Greek periplus, describing navigation and trading opportunities from Roman Egyptian ports like Berenice along the coast of the Red Sea, and others along East Africa and India. ... Claudius Ptolemaeus, given contemporary German styling, in a 16th century engraved book frontispiece Claudius Ptolemaeus (Greek: Κλαύδιος Πτολεμαῖος; c. ...

Some denied that the Sinæ of Ptolemy really represented the Chinese. But if we compare the statement of Marcianus of Heraclea (a mere condenser of Ptolemy), when he tells us that the "nations of the Sinae lie at the extremity of the habitable world, and adjoin the eastern Terra Incognita," with that of Cosmas, who says, in speaking of Tzinista, a name of which no one can question the application to China, that "beyond this there is neither habitation nor navigation" -- we cannot doubt the same region to be meant by both. The fundamental error of Ptolemy's conception of the Indian Sea as a closed basin rendered it impossible but that he should misplace the Chinese coast. But most scholar still believe Sinæ is China, because:

• the name of Sina come down among the Arabs from time immemorial as applied to the Chinese
• in the work of Ptolemy, this name certainly represented the farthest known East
• Ptolemy's configurations and longitudes are inaccurate, and yet he described India as well, whose coordination was faulty, like that of Sinæ.

Ser

An earlier usage than Sin, possibly related.

• Greek: Seres, Serikos
• Latin: Serica

This may be a back formation from serikos (σηρικος), "made of silk", from sêr (σηρ), "silkworm," in which case Seres is "the land where silk comes from." Seres (Σηρες) was the ancient Greek and Roman name for China and its inhabitants. ... In etymology, the process of back-formation is the creation of a neologism by reinterpreting an earlier word as a compound and removing the affixes. ... Silk weaver Silk is a natural protein fiber that can be woven into textiles. ...

Cathay

This group of names derives from Khitan, an ethnic group that originated in Manchuria and conquered Northern China. Due to long domination of Northern China by these non-Chinese conquerors, it was considered by northwestern people as the land of the Khitan. In English and in several other European languages, the name "Cathay" became widely used for all of China largely as a result of translations of the adventures of Marco Polo, which used this word for northern China. Cathay is the name that was given to northern China by Marco Polo. ... The Khitan, in Chinese Qidan (契丹 Pinyin: Qìdān), were an ethnic group which dominated much of Manchuria and was classified in Chinese history as one of the Tungus ethnic groups (東胡族 dōng hú zú). ... Extent according to Definition 1 (dark red), Definition 3 (dark red + medium red) and Definition 4 (dark red + medium red + light red) Manchuria (Manchu: Manju, Simplified Chinese: 满洲; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; pinyin: ) and Northeast China (Simplified Chinese: 东北; Traditional Chinese: 東北; pinyin: ; literally east-north) are names of a vast region in Northeast Asia. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Marco Polo, after a painting in Badia, Rome Marco Polo (b. ...

• Classical Mongolian: Kitad
• English: Cathay
• Kazan Tatar: Qıtay
• Medieval Latin: Cataya, Kitai
• Mongolian: Hyatad (Хятад)
• Portuguese: Catai
• Russian: Kitai (Китай)
• Slovene: Kitajska
• Uygur: Hyty

There is no evidence that either in the 13th or 14th century, Cathayans, i.e. Chinese, travelled officially to Europe, but it is possible that some did, in unofficial capacity, at least in the 13th century. For, during the campaigns of Hulagu (the grandson of Genghis Khan) in Persia (1256-65), and the reigns of his successors, Chinese engineers were employed on the banks of the Tigris, and Chinese astrologers and physicians could be consulted at Tabriz. Many diplomatic communications passed between the Hulaguid Ilkhans and the Christian princes. The former, as the great khan's liegemen, still received from him their seals of state; and two of their letters which survive in the archives of France exhibit the vermilion impressions of those seals in Chinese characters -- perhaps affording the earliest specimen of those character which reached western Europe. World map showing location of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Hulagu Khan (also known as Hülegü, and Hulegu) (1217–8 February 1265) was a Mongol ruler who conquered much of Southwest Asia. ... For the German pop band, see Dschinghis Khan Genghis Khan (1155/1162/1167–August 18, 1227) (Cyrillic: Чингис Хаан), (also spelled as Chingis Khan, Jenghis Khan, etc. ... The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ... Events Hanseatic League formed. ... Events January 20 - In Westminster, the first English parliament conducts its first meeting. ... An engineer is someone who practices the engineering profession; a professional practitioner of engineering; someone who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems and produce goods for society. ... Tigris River in Mosul, Iraq The Tigris (Old Persian: Tigr, Aramaic Assyrian: Deqlath, Arabic: دجلة, Dijla, Turkish: Dicle; biblical Hiddekel) is the eastern member of the pair of great rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of Anatolia through Iraq. ... An astrological chart (or horoscope) _ Y2K Chart — This particular chart is calculated for January 1, 2000 at 12:01:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time in New York City, New York, USA. (Longitude: 074W0023 - Latitude: 40N4251) Astrology (from Greek: αστρολογία = άστρον, astron, star + λόγος, logos, word) is... A physician is a person who practices medicine. ... Tabriz City Hall, built in 1895, by Arfaol molk, with the aid of German engineers. ... This page is about negotiations; for the board game, see Diplomacy (game). ... The Ilkhanate (also spelled Il-khanate or Il Khanate) was one of the four divisions within the Mongol Empire. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christs commandments and is one who faithfully upholds his teachings. ... The term prince (from the Latin princeps), for a member of the highest aristocracy, has fundamentally different meanings - one generic, and several types of titles the female form is princess // Abstract notion The original but least common use is as a GENERIC (descriptive, not formal) term -originating in the application... Seal on envelope A seal is an impression printed on, embossed upon, or affixed to a document (or any other object) in order to authenticate it, in lieu of or in addition to a signature. ... 漢字 hànzì, kanji… in Traditional Chinese and other languages. ...

Tabgach

"Tabgach" came from the metatheses of "Tuoba" (*takbat), a dominant tribe of the Xianbei. It referred to Northern China, which was dominated by half-Xianbei, half-Chinese people. Tabgach was a central Asian name for China, derived from Tuoba (拓跋), a powerful Xianbei tribe. ... Tuoba (拓拔 pinyin Tuòbá) or To-pa in Wade-Giles was a clan of the Xianbei people. ... The Xianbei (鮮卑, written XiānbÄ“i in pinyin or Hsien-pei in Wade-Giles) is a significant nomadic people residing in modern Manchuria and eastern Mongolia before migrating into areas of the modern Chinese provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and Liaoning. ...

• Byzantine Greek: Taugats
• Orhon Kok-Turk: Tabgach (variations Tamgach)

Nikan

Manchu: nikan The Manchu language is a member of the Tungusic languages; it used to be the language of the Manchu, though now most Manchus speak Mandarin Chinese and there are fewer than 100 native speakers of Manchu out of a total of nearly 10 million ethnic Manchus. ...

Rgya nag

Tibetan: rgya nag The Tibetan language is typically classified as member of the Tibeto-Burman which in turn is thought by some to be a branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. ...

Mangi

From Chinese Manzi (southern barbarians). The division of North China and South China under the Jinn Dynasty and Song Dynasty weakened the dogma that China should be unified, and it was common for a time to call the politically disparate North and South by different names. While Northern China was called Cathay, Southern China was referred to as Mangi. Manzi often appears in documents of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. The Mongols also called Southern Chinese "Nangkiyas" or "Nangkiyad", and considered them ethnically distinct (and inferior) from North Chinese. As Marco Polo used it, the word "Manzi" reached to the Western world as "Mangi". Alternative meaning: In geology, North China (continent) and South China (continent) were two ancient landmasses that correspond to modern northern and southern China. ... The Jin Dynasty (金 pinyin: Jīn 1115-1234; Anchu in Jurchen), also known as the Jurchen dynasty, was founded by the Wanyan (完顏 Wányán) clan of the Jurchen, the ancestors of the Manchus who established the Qing Dynasty some 500 years later. ... The Song Dynasty (Chinese: 宋朝) was a ruling dynasty in China from 960-1279. ... The Yuan Dynasty (Mongolian: Dai Ön Yeke Mongghul Ulus; Chinese: 大元大蒙古帝国) lasting officially from 1271 to 1368, also called the Mongol Dynasty, was the name given to the significant ruling family of Borjigin in Asia. ...

• Chinese: Manzi (蠻子)
• Latin: Mangi

See also

• List of country name etymologies