Han Dynasty
/hɑːn ˈdaɪ.nə.sti/noun
The Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled much of China from 206 BCE to 220 CE, with a brief interruption by the Xin dynasty.
Did you know?The dynasty’s name came from the Han kingdom, which Liu Bang received before becoming emperor; the same name later became the Chinese term for the country’s dominant ethnic group.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Old Chinese
漢 (Hàn)
“The name of the Han River and the territory associated with it in central China.”
206 BCE
Chinese
漢朝 (Hàn cháo)
“The Han court or Han dynasty, named after Liu Bang’s former kingdom of Han.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
dynasteía (δυναστεία)
“Rule by a dynast or powerful ruler; the source of the English word “dynasty.””
Late Latin
Latin
dynastia
“A ruling family or line of hereditary rulers.”
Old French
Old French
dynastie
“A succession of rulers from the same family.”
16th Century
English
dynasty
“A succession of sovereigns from one family or line.”
Modern English
English
Han Dynasty
“The historical Chinese imperial dynasty conventionally dated from 206 BCE to 220 CE.”