Nanking
/ˈnæŋ.kɪŋ/noun
An established English name for Nanjing, a major city in eastern China and a former Chinese capital.
Did you know?The spelling “Nanking” reflects older European romanization systems, while modern Mandarin pinyin standardizes the same name as “Nanjing.”
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
南
“South”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
京
“Capital or capital city”
1368
Ming Chinese
南京
“Southern Capital; the name adopted when the Ming dynasty established its capital there”
17th Century
European English
Nanking
“European romanization of the Chinese city name”
19th Century
Wade–Giles
Nan-ching
“An alternative scholarly romanization of 南京”
Modern English
English
Nanking
“Traditional English name, now largely replaced by Nanjing”
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