Kangxi
/ˈkɑːŋˌʃiː/noun
Kangxi is the reign name of Xuanye, the Qing dynasty emperor who ruled China from 1661 to 1722.
Did you know?The Kangxi Emperor commissioned the Kangxi Dictionary, one of the most influential Chinese character dictionaries ever compiled, containing roughly 47,000 entries.
Etymological Timeline
1661
Manchu/Qing China
康熙
“The reign title chosen for the Qing emperor Xuanye; the characters convey well-being and flourishing.”
17th Century
Late Middle Chinese
khang-hjī
“Historical Chinese pronunciations of the two characters later read in Mandarin as Kangxi.”
17th Century
Manchu court usage
ᡴᠠᠩ ᡧᡳ
“The reign name rendered in Manchu script for the multilingual Qing imperial court.”
18th Century
European Sinology
Kang-hi
“An older European romanization used for the emperor and his reign.”
Modern English
English
Kangxi
“The standard modern romanization for the emperor, his reign, and works associated with the period.”
Explore more surprising origins