中國

Chinese

	middle; center; within middle; center; within; among; in; while (doing sth); during; China; Chinese; hit (the mark)	country; state; nation
trad. (中國)	中	國
simp. (中国)	中	国
anagram	國中／国中
Literally: “middle country; central country”.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): Zhōngguó
(Zhuyin): ㄓㄨㄥㄍㄨㄛˊ
(Chengdu, SP): Zong¹ gue²
(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): Җунгуй (Žunguy, I-II) / Җунгуә (Žunguə, I-II)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou, Jyutping): zung¹ gwok³
(Taishan, Wiktionary): zuung¹ gok²
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): Chûng-koet
(Meixian, Guangdong): zung¹ guêd⁵
Min Dong (BUC): Dṳ̆ng-guók
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): Tiong-kok
(Teochew, Peng'im): dong¹ gog⁴
Wu (Wiktionary): tson koq (T1)

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: Zhōngguó
  - Zhuyin: ㄓㄨㄥㄍㄨㄛˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: Jhongguó
  - Wade–Giles: Chung¹-kuo²
  - Yale: Jūng-gwó
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Jonggwo
  - Palladius: Чжунго (Čžungo)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵ kwɔ³⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: Zong¹ gue²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: Zunggue
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡soŋ⁵⁵ kuɛ²¹/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: Җунгуй (Žunguy, I-II) / Җунгуә (Žunguə, I-II)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂuŋ²⁴ kuei⁵¹/, /ʈ͡ʂuŋ²⁴ kuə⁵¹/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: zung¹ gwok³
  - Yale: jūng gwok
  - Cantonese Pinyin: dzung¹ gwok⁸
  - Guangdong Romanization: zung¹ guog³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ kʷɔːk̚³/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: zuung¹ gok²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɵŋ³³ kɔk̚⁵⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Chûng-koet
  - Hakka Romanization System: zung´ gued`
  - Hagfa Pinyim: zung¹ gued⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡suŋ²⁴ ku̯et̚²/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: zung¹ guêd⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʊŋ⁴⁴⁻³⁵ kuɛt̚¹/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: Dṳ̆ng-guók
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tyŋ⁵⁵⁻⁵³ ^(k-)ŋuɔʔ²⁴/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Penang)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tiong-kok
  - Tâi-lô: Tiong-kok
  - Phofsit Daibuun: diongkog
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /tiɔŋ³³ kɔk̚⁵/
  - IPA (Penang): /tiɔŋ³³⁻²¹ kɔk̚³/
  - IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /tiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ kɔk̚³²/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /tiɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² kɔk̚³²/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: dong¹ gog⁴
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tong kok
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /toŋ³³⁻²³ kok̚²/
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: tson koq (T1)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ kʊʔ²¹/

Middle Chinese: /ʈɨuŋ kwək̚/

Rime
Character	中	國
Reading #	1/2	1/1
Initial (聲)	知 (9)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	東 (2)	登 (132)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Closed
Division (等)	III	I
Fanqie	陟弓切	古或切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʈɨuŋ/	/kwək̚/
Pan Wuyun	/ʈiuŋ/	/kʷək̚/
Shao Rongfen	/ȶiuŋ/	/kuək̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʈuwŋ/	/kwək̚/
Li Rong	/ȶiuŋ/	/kuək̚/
Wang Li	/ȶĭuŋ/	/kuək̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/ȶi̯uŋ/	/kwək̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	zhōng	guo
Expected Cantonese Reflex	zung¹	gwak¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*truŋ [C.q]ʷˤək/
(Zhengzhang): /*tuŋ kʷɯːɡ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	中	國
Reading #	1/2	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	zhōng	guó
Middle Chinese	‹ trjuwng ›	‹ kwok ›
Old Chinese	/*truŋ/	/*[C.q]ʷˁək/
English	center	state (n.)
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	中	國
Reading #	1/2	1/1
No.	17407	5547
Phonetic component	中	或
Rime group	終	職
Rime subdivision	0	0
Corresponding MC rime	中	國
Old Chinese	/*tuŋ/	/*kʷɯːɡ/

Etymology 1

Earliest attested on the Western Zhou bronze vessel He zun. See Names of China#Zhongguo.

隹珷王既克大邑商，𠟭廷吿于天，曰：余𠀠宅𢆶𠁩或，自之辥民。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

From: He zun inscription, translated by Pankenier (2013)

Wéi Wǔwáng jì kè Dàyìshāng, zé tíng gào yú Tiān, yuē: yú qí zhái zī Zhōngguó, zì zhī yì mín. [Pinyin]

When King Wu conquered the great city Shang, he then made reverent declarations to Heaven, saying: "Let me dwell in this, the central region, and from here govern the people."

Proper noun

中國

China (a country in Asia; capital: Beijing)
中國和平崛起／中国和平崛起 ― Zhōngguó hépíng juéqǐ ― China's peaceful rise
中國社會科學院／中国社会科学院 ― Zhōngguó shèhuìkēxuéyuàn ― the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
中國典籍英譯／中国典籍英译 ― Zhōngguó diǎnjí yīngyì ― English translations of Chinese classics
干涉中國內政／干涉中国内政 ― gānshè Zhōngguó nèizhèng ― to interfere in China's internal affairs
中國的首都是北京。 [MSC, trad.]
中国的首都是北京。 [MSC, simp.]
Zhōngguó de shǒudū shì Běijīng. [Pinyin]
The capital of China is Beijing.
他現在在中國旅行。 [MSC, trad.]
他现在在中国旅行。 [MSC, simp.]
Tā xiànzài zài Zhōngguó lǚxíng. [Pinyin]
He's travelling around China right now.
你喜歡中國文學嗎？ [Taiwanese Mandarin, trad.]
你喜欢中国文学吗？ [Taiwanese Mandarin, simp.]
Nǐ xǐhuān Zhōngguó wénxué ma? [Pinyin]
Do you like Chinese literature?

Usage notes

This word referred to various states and regions throughout history:

Western Zhou Dynasty [1046–771 BCE]:
the region controlled by the Western Zhou Dynasty, covering the Guanzhong Plain in Shaanxi, as well as the basin between the Yellow River and the Luo River.
Eastern Zhou Dynasty [770–221 BCE]:
all of the upper reaches of the Yellow River.
Since Qin Dynasty [221 BCE–1911 CE]:
the land controlled by the imperial regime of the Central Plain - i.e. the ancestors of modern China.
After the Xinhai Revolution [1911 CE]:
shorthand for 中華民國／中华民国 (Zhōnghuá Mínguó).
After the founding of the People's Republic of China [1949 CE]:
shorthand for 中華人民共和國／中华人民共和国 (Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó).

Synonyms

(China):

edit

Synonyms of 中國

中 (Zhōng) (abbreviation)
中原 (Zhōngyuán)
九州 (Jiǔzhōu)
唐山 (Tángshān)
域中 (yùzhōng) (literary, figurative)
天下 (tiānxià) (lofty)
天朝 (Tiāncháo) (historical or Internet slang)
支那 (Zhīnà) (obsolete, now usually derogatory or offensive)
桃花石 (Táohuāshí) (obsolete)
猜拿 (transliteration of English China)
神州 (Shénzhōu) (literary)
脂那 (Zhīnà) (obsolete)

至那 (Zhìnà) (obsolete)
震旦 (Zhèndàn) (archaic)
中國／中国 (Zhōngguó)
中華／中华 (Zhōnghuá)
種花家／种花家 (Zhònghuājiā) (slang, humorous)
華／华 (Huá) (abbreviation)
華夏／华夏 (Huáxià)
諸夏／诸夏 (Zhūxià)
諸華／诸华 (Zhūhuá)
赤縣／赤县 (Chìxiàn) (literary)
赤縣神州／赤县神州 (Chìxiàn Shénzhōu) (literary)

Derived terms

Derived terms from 中國

中媒 (zhōngméi)
中國中心主義／中国中心主义 (Zhōngguó zhōngxīn zhǔyì)
中國之春／中国之春
中國人／中国人 (Zhōngguórén)
中國人民的老朋友／中国人民的老朋友 (Zhōngguó rénmín de lǎopéngyou)
中國人民解放軍／中国人民解放军 (Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn)
中國佬／中国佬 (zhōngguólǎo)
中國僑聯／中国侨联 (Zhōngguó Qiáolián)
中國內地／中国内地 (Zhōngguó nèidì)
中國共產黨／中国共产党 (Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng)
中國化／中国化 (zhōngguóhuà)
中國圖／中国图 (zhōngguótú)
中國城／中国城 (zhōngguóchéng)
中國大陸／中国大陆 (Zhōngguó dàlù)
中國威脅論／中国威胁论 (Zhōngguó wēixiélùn)
中國字／中国字 (zhōngguózì)
中國學／中国学 (Zhōngguóxué)
中國崩潰論／中国崩溃论 (Zhōngguó bēngkuìlùn)
中國工農紅軍／中国工农红军 (Zhōngguó Gōngnóng Hóngjūn)
中國式／中国式 (Zhōngguóshì)
中國性／中国性 (zhōngguóxìng)

中國文字／中国文字
中國本土／中国本土 (Zhōngguó běntǔ)
中國海／中国海 (Zhōngguóhǎi)
中國特色／中国特色 (Zhōngguó tèsè)
中國畫／中国画 (Zhōngguóhuà)
中國科大／中国科大 (Zhōngguó Kēdà)
中國科學院／中国科学院
中國結／中国结 (zhōngguójié)
中國芒／中国芒 (zhōngguómáng)
中國菜／中国菜 (Zhōngguócài)
中國話／中国话 (zhōngguóhuà)
中國語／中国语 (zhōngguóyǔ)
中國超新星／中国超新星
中國通／中国通 (Zhōngguótōng)
中國風／中国风 (zhōngguófēng)
傷害中國人民的感情／伤害中国人民的感情 (shānghài Zhōngguó rénmín de gǎnqíng)
新中國／新中国 (Xīnzhōngguó)
自由中國／自由中国 (Zìyóu Zhōngguó)
舊中國／旧中国 (Jiùzhōngguó)
赤色中國／赤色中国

Noun

中國

(Classical Chinese) royal court; imperial court; imperial household; imperial government
(Classical Chinese) central part of a country (historically, commonly known as the capital city or the main region, where an emperor or other ruler resides)
- 惠此中國，以綏四方。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
  惠此中国，以绥四方。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Huì cǐ zhōngguó, yǐ suí sìfāng. [Pinyin]
  Let us cherish this centre of the kingdom,
  To secure the repose of the four quarters of it.
- 我欲中國而授孟子室。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  我欲中国而授孟子室。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Wǒ yù zhōngguó ér shòu Mèngzǐ shì. [Pinyin]
  I wish to give Mencius a house, somewhere in the middle of the kingdom.
(Classical Chinese) the Central Plain (area on the lower reaches of the Yellow River which formed the cradle of Chinese civilization)
- 莅中國而撫四夷 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  莅中国而抚四夷 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE
  lì zhōngguó ér fǔ sìyí [Pinyin]
  to rule over the Central Plain and pacify the neighbouring foreign peoples
- 吾聞中國之君子，明乎禮義而陋於知人心。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  吾闻中国之君子，明乎礼义而陋于知人心。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE
  Wú wén Zhōngguó zhī jūnzǐ, míng hū lǐyì ér lòu yú zhī rénxīn. [Pinyin]
  I have heard that the superior men of these Middle States understand the (subjects of) ceremony and righteousness, but are deplorably ignorant of the minds of men.
(Classical Chinese) people of the Central Plain

Synonyms

(royal court):

edit

Synonyms of 中國

世 (shì) (literary, or in compounds)
公家 (gōngjiā)
公庭 (gōngtíng)
朝廷 (cháotíng)
王室 (wángshì)
王家 (wángjiā)

王朝 (wángcháo)
皇室 (huángshì)
皇朝 (huángcháo)
上國／上国 (shàngguó) (as termed by vassal states)
國家／国家 (guójiā) (Classical Chinese)

(central part of a country): (archaic) 國中／国中 (guózhōng)
(the Central Plain): 中土 (Zhōngtǔ), 中原 (Zhōngyuán), 中州 (Zhōngzhōu)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (中國):

→ Japanese: 中(ちゅう)国(ごく) (Chūgoku)
→ Korean: 중국(中國) (Jungguk)
→ Vietnamese: Trung Quốc (中國)

Others:

→ Bouyei: Zungyguef
→ English: Middle Kingdom (calque)
→ Finnish: Keskustan valtakunta (calque)
→ French: Empire du Milieu (calque)
→ German: Reich der Mitte (calque)
→ Hlai: Dongxgok (via Hainanese)
→ Indonesian: Tiongkok (via Hokkien)
→ Kyrgyz: Жуңго (Juŋgo)
→ Lü: ᦷᦋᧂᧈᦷᦅᧉ (tsong¹ko²)
→ Manchu: ᡩᡠᠯᡳᠮᠪᠠᡳ
ᡤᡠᡵᡠᠨ (dulimbai gurun) (calque)
→ Mongolian: ᠳᠤᠮᠳᠠᠳᠤ
ᠤᠯᠤᠰ (dumdadu ulus) (calque)
→ Portuguese: Reino Médio, Reino do Meio (calque) (calque)
→ Sichuan Yi: ꍏꇩ (zho guop)
→ Tibetan: ཀྲུང་གོ (krung go)
- Dzongkha: ཀྲུང་ཀོ (krung ko)
→ Uyghur: جۇڭگو‎ (junggo), Җуңго (Junggo) (Cyrillic)
Wutunhua: zhungo
→ Zhuang: Cunghgoz, Cungguek

Etymology 2

Orthographic borrowing from Japanese 中(ちゅう)国(ごく) (Chūgoku), from Chinese 中國 (MC ʈɨuŋ kwək̚, “the central part of a country”).

Proper noun

中國

(～地方, ～地區) the Chūgoku region of Japan
- 這裡的中國是指日本的中國地方，即指本州西部的岡山、廣島、山口、島根、鳥取5縣。 [MSC, trad.]
  这里的中国是指日本的中国地方，即指本州西部的冈山、广岛、山口、岛根、鸟取5县。 [MSC, simp.]
  From: 2004, 于沛, 中国社会科学院世界历史研究所学术论文集（1964-2004）：古代中世纪卷
  Zhèlǐ de Zhōngguó shì zhǐ Rìběn de Zhōngguó Dìfāng, jí zhǐ Běnzhōu xībù de Gāngshān, Guǎngdǎo, Shānkǒu, Dǎogēn, Niǎoqǔ 5 xiàn. [Pinyin]
  Here, 中國／中国 refers to the Chūgoku region of Japan, or the five prefectures of Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Shimane, and Tottori that lay in the western region of Honshū.

Etymology 3

Semantic loan from Sanskrit मध्यदेशे m sg (madhyadeśe, locative, literally “in the Middle Country”) (Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā; see Karashima, 2010) or मध्येषु जनपदेषु m pl (madhyeṣu janapadeṣu, “in [the] central countries”) (Abhidharmakośakārikā); as opposed to the 邊地／边地 (biāndì, “borderlands; frontiers”), from Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit प्रत्यन्तिम (pratyantima) / प्रत्यन्त (pratyanta) or Pali paccantima. Cognate to the Pali majjhimesu janapadesu (locative, literally “in the middlemost countries”) in the text parallel to the Ekottara Āgama in the Pali Canon.

Noun

中國

(Buddhism) "central countries"; lands with advanced civilization and other conditions helpful for teaching Buddhism

Japanese

Kanji in this term
中	國
ちゅう Grade: 1	こく > ごく Jinmeiyō
on’yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 中國 – see the following entry.

【中国ちゅうごく】

[proper noun] China

[proper noun] (historical or contemporary) any of several kingdoms, empires, or states of the Chinese people

[proper noun] (especially in contemporary usage) short for 中華人民共和国 (Chūka Jinmin Kyōwakoku), the People's Republic of China

[noun] the central part of a country, historically, commonly known as the capital city or the main region, where an emperor or other ruler resides

[noun] something within a country

[noun] (historical) under the 律令 (Ritsuryō) system, a province of the third rank according to a four-rank system based on population and area

[noun] (historical) under the 律令 (Ritsuryō) system, a province of the second rank according to the distance from the capital city

[noun] collective term for the 山陽道 (San'yōdō) and 山陰道 (San'indō) regions of Japan

[proper noun] Short for 中国地方 (Chūgoku chihō): the Chūgoku region of Japan

【中国なかくに】

[proper noun] a surname

(This term, 中國, is an alternative spelling of the above terms.)

Korean

Hanja in this term
中	國

Proper noun

中國 • (Jungguk) (hangeul 중국)

Hanja form^? of 중국 (“China”).

Vietnamese

Hán tự in this term
中	國

Proper noun

中國

chữ Hán form of Trung Quốc (“China”).

Zhuang

Proper noun

中國

Sawndip form of Cunghgoz