Τζίνιστα

Τζίνιστα

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• Τζίνιτζα (Tzínitza) – rare

Etymology

Of uncertain etymology, but probably from Sanskrit चीन (Cina, “China”), possibly via Arabic اَلصِّين‎ (aṣ-ṣīn, “China; the Chinese”) and usually held to derive from Old Chinese 秦 (*Dzin, “Qin”). See "Names of China" at Wikipedia.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈtzi.nis.ta/

• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈtzi.nis.ta/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈtzi.nis.ta/

Proper noun

Τζίνιστα • (Tzínista)

1. (geography, culture) A land and people of East Asia usually identified as the southern Chinese.
   • 6th century, Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography, II, 45:

     Αὕτη δὲ ἡ χώρα τοῦ μεταξίου ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ ἐσωτέρᾳ πάντων Ἰνδίᾳ, κατὰ τὸ ἀριστερὸν μέρος εἰσιόντων τοῦ Ἰνδικοῦ πελάγους, περαιτέρω πολὺ τοῦ Περσικοῦ κόλπου καὶ τῆς νήσου τῆς καλουμένης παρὰ μὲν Ἰνδοῖς, Σελεδίβα, παρὰ δὲ τοῖς Ἕλλησι, Ταπροβάνη, Τζίνιστα οὕτω καλουμένη, κυκλουμένη πάλιν ἐξ ἀριστερῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ὠκεανοῦ, ὥσπερ καὶ ἡ Βαρβαρία κυκλοῦται ἐκ δεξιῶν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ... Περαιτέρω δὲ τῆς Τζίνιστα οὔτε πλέεται οὔτε οἰκεῖται.

     Now this country of silk is situated in the remotest of all the Indies, and lies to the left of those who enter the Indian sea, far beyond the Persian Gulf, and the island called by the Indians Selediba and by the Greeks Taprobanê. It is called Tzinista, and is surrounded on the left by the ocean, just as Barbaria is surrounded by it on the right... Beyond Tzinista there is neither navigation nor any land to inhabit.

Synonyms

• Θῖνα (Thîna), Θῖναι (Thînai), Σῖναι (Sînai)

See also

• (modern China): Κίνα (Kína)