五印度
Chinese
five | India | ||
---|---|---|---|
trad. (五印度) | 五 | 印度 | |
simp. #(五印度) | 五 | 印度 |
Etymology
Coined by Xuanzang (a Chinese Buddhist monk who had travelled to India) in his book The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions [646 CE].
The Puranas divide ancient India into five regions: Pracya (Eastern India), Uttarapatha (Northern India), Aparanta (Western India), Dakshinapatha (Southern India) and Madhyadesha (Central India). 五印度 (Wǔyìndù, literally “five Indias”) is thus a term for all of India.
Pronunciation
Proper noun
五印度
- (obsolete) India
Synonyms
- 五天竺 (Wǔtiānzhú)
- 五印 (Wǔyìn)
- 五天
- 印度 (Yìndù)