Nanjing
/nænˈdʒiːŋ/noun
The capital city of Jiangsu province in eastern China.
Did you know?Its name is a political title, not a mystical one: 南京 was chosen because the city sat south of the imperial center and served as a capital in multiple dynasties.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
南京
““Southern Capital,” a compound of 南 (“south”) and 京 (“capital”).”
Various historical periods
Chinese
南京
“Name used for a major imperial center in southern China under different regimes.”
Ming Dynasty
Chinese
南京
“Officially served as the Ming dynasty’s southern capital.”
Modern English
English
Nanjing
“The standard English name for the Chinese city 南京.”