Sino-
/ˈsaɪnoʊ/noun
A combining form relating to China or the Chinese people, language, or culture.
Did you know?The ultimate source of Sino- is debated, but it is commonly connected through ancient Greek and Latin forms with the name Qin, the dynasty that unified China.
Etymological Timeline
3rd Century BCE
Chinese
Qín
“The name of the Qin state and dynasty, associated with the first unified imperial dynasty of China.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Sanskrit
Cīna
“A term referring to China or the Chinese people; its ultimate connection with Qin is widely proposed but not absolutely certain.”
1st Century CE
Greek
Σῆρες / Sēres
“A classical Greek name for the Chinese people, especially in accounts connected with the silk trade; this was not yet the direct form Sino-.”
2nd–3rd Century CE
Greek
Sinaí / Sina
“A Greek geographical name associated with China, developing alongside other ancient western names for the region.”
Late Antiquity–Medieval Latin
Latin
Sinae
“A Latin name for the Chinese or the land of China.”
19th Century
English
Sino-
“An English combining form meaning relating to China or the Chinese, popularized in learned compounds such as Sino-British and Sinology.”