Khitay
/kɪˈtaɪ/noun
A historical name for China, derived from the name of the Khitan people.
Did you know?Khitay ultimately comes from the Khitans, a medieval people whose Liao dynasty ruled much of northern China and whose name traveled across Asia into European geography.
Etymological Timeline
4th–10th Century
Middle Chinese
契丹 (Qìdān)
“The name of the Khitan people, a powerful nomadic and imperial group in northeastern Asia.”
10th–12th Century
Mongolic / Central Asian usage
Qitai / Kitai
“A geographical name referring to the Khitan realm and, increasingly, northern China.”
11th–13th Century
Persian
Khitāy
“China or the lands associated with the Khitans.”
12th–15th Century
Old French / Latin
Cathay / Cathaya
“A European form of the Central Asian name for China.”
Modern English
English
Khitay
“A historical or transliterated name for China, especially in discussions of medieval Asian geography and the Khitan empire.”