Kitay-Gorod
/kɪˈtaɪ ˈɡɔːrəd/noun
A historic fortified district in central Moscow, Russia, adjoining the Kremlin.
Did you know?The district’s name is often mistakenly interpreted as “China Town,” but historians have linked Kitay to an old Russian word for a woven framework or defensive construction, possibly describing its original fortifications.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gher- / *gherdh-
“To enclose, fence, or form a protected boundary.”
Proto-Slavic
Proto-Slavic
*gȏrdъ
“An enclosure, fortified settlement, or stronghold.”
Old East Slavic
Old East Slavic
городъ (gorodŭ)
“A town, city, or fortified place.”
Medieval Russian
Russian
кита (kita)
“A bundle, braid, or woven framework; a proposed source of the first element, though the derivation remains uncertain.”
16th Century
Russian
Китай-город (Kitay-gorod)
“The name of Moscow’s fortified district outside the Kremlin.”
Modern English
English
Kitay-Gorod
“The historic Moscow district and the name of a nearby Moscow Metro station.”