Peking
/ˈpiː.kɪŋ/noun
A historical English spelling and pronunciation of Beijing, the capital city of China.
Did you know?The name changed as Chinese capitals and romanization systems changed: Peking reflects older European spellings of the Mandarin name now standardized in English as Beijing.
Etymological Timeline
Late Old Chinese
Chinese
北 (běi) + 京 (jīng)
“The two written elements meaning “north” and “capital.””
Ming Dynasty, 15th Century
Mandarin
北京 (Běijīng)
““Northern Capital,” the name formalized when the Ming court established its main capital in the north.”
17th Century
European Chinese transcription
Pequim / Pékin
“Early European renderings of the Mandarin place-name, transmitted through missionary and diplomatic writing.”
19th Century
English
Peking
“The established English spelling used in older postal and international romanization systems.”
20th Century
Pinyin Mandarin
Běijīng
“The modern Hanyu Pinyin romanization, officially replacing “Peking” in most English usage.”
Modern English
English
Peking
“A historical or traditional English name, still preserved in terms such as Peking duck and Peking University.”