Sichuan
/ˈsɪtʃuːˌɑːn/noun
A province in southwestern China, also referring to its capital, Chengdu, in some historical contexts.
Did you know?The name became established during the Song dynasty, when the region was organized into four major administrative circuits; “four rivers” is a later, widely used interpretation of the Chinese characters 四川.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Old Chinese
四 (*s.liʔ)
“The numeral four; the historical ancestor of modern Mandarin sì.”
Ancient Chinese
Old Chinese
川 (*tʰron)
“A river, stream, or watercourse.”
Medieval China
Middle Chinese
四川
“The character compound meaning “four rivers,” though the designation also reflected four Song-era administrative circuits.”
11th Century
Song Chinese
四川路
“Sichuan Circuit; a Song administrative designation for four circuits in the region.”
13th Century
Chinese
四川
“A settled regional name used under the Yuan period and afterward.”
Modern English
English
Sichuan
“The standard modern English romanization of 四川, replacing older forms such as Szechwan and Szechuan.”