Shanbei
/ʂán.pèɪ/noun
A transliteration commonly referring to northern Shaanxi, a region of China.
Did you know?Shanbei became an important Communist revolutionary base during the 1930s and 1940s, especially around Yan’an, where Mao Zedong established his headquarters.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
陕北
“Northern part of the region known as Shaan; the characters mean “Shaan north.””
Late Imperial China
Chinese
陕北
“A regional designation for northern Shaanxi.”
1930s–1940s
Chinese
陕北
“A major Communist revolutionary base area, including Yan’an.”
20th Century
Wade–Giles/Pinyin
Shan-pei / Shanbei
“Romanized forms used in English-language historical and political writing.”
Modern English
English
Shanbei
“An English transliteration for northern Shaanxi or its regional culture and history.”