Tianzhu
/tʰjɛ́n.tʂú/noun
A historical Chinese name for India, especially in Buddhist and medieval Chinese texts.
Did you know?Chinese Buddhist pilgrims such as Xuanzang used Tianzhu to describe India, while its apparent meaning “heavenly bamboo” is a later character-based interpretation rather than the original source.
Etymological Timeline
2nd millennium BCE or earlier
Sanskrit
síndhu
“River, especially the Indus River; the ancient source behind the later names for India and Hindu peoples.”
6th–5th Century BCE
Old Persian
Hinduš
“The Indus region, recorded in Achaemenid Persian inscriptions.”
5th–4th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Indós
“The Indus River and the lands beyond it; the source of Greek Indía.”
1st–2nd Century CE
Chinese
天竺
“Tianzhu, a Chinese transcription used for India in early Buddhist-era records.”
7th Century CE
Middle Chinese
天竺
“The established Chinese name for India in Buddhist literature, including accounts associated with Xuanzang.”
Modern English
English
Tianzhu
“A historical or transliterated Chinese name for India; it may also be confused with 天主, “Lord of Heaven,” a separate expression.”