Xi’an
/ˌʃiːˈɑːn/noun
A major city in north-central China and the capital of Shaanxi Province.
Did you know?Xi’an was once Chang’an, the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and the imperial capital where Buddhism, trade, and foreign religions entered China.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese, 1st millennium BCE
Old Chinese
西安
“The characters 西 and 安 meant “west” and “peace” respectively.”
206 BCE–220 CE
Chinese
長安 / Chang’an
““Perpetual Peace”; the ancient imperial capital occupying the area of modern Xi’an.”
618–907 CE
Middle Chinese
長安 / Chang’an
“The capital of the Tang dynasty and a cosmopolitan center of Silk Road exchange.”
1369
Ming Chinese
西安府 / Xi’an Fu
““Western Peace Prefecture,” the official name established after the Ming conquest.”
Modern English
English
Xi’an
“The standard English rendering of the modern Chinese city name.”