Changbai Shan
/ˌtʃɑːŋˌbaɪ ˈʃɑːn/noun
A volcanic mountain on the China–North Korea border, also known in English as Mount Paektu or Mount Baekdu.
Did you know?Changbai Shan is sacred in both Chinese and Korean traditions, while its Manchu name, Golmin Šanggiyan Alin, also means “ever-white mountain.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient period
Korean
Baekdu-san (백두산)
“White-Head Mountain”
Ancient period
Chinese
太白山 (Tàibái Shān)
“Great White Mountain, an earlier name associated with the massif”
17th century
Manchu
Golmin Šanggiyan Alin
“Ever-White Mountain”
17th century
Chinese
長白山 (Chángbái Shān)
“Ever-White Mountain or Long-White Mountain”
20th century
English
Changbai Mountain
“English rendering of the Chinese name”
Modern English
English
Changbai Shan
“Pinyin-based form of the Chinese name for the mountain”
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