Xia
/ˈʃɑː/noun
The Xia is the traditionally recorded first dynasty of ancient China, conventionally dated to about 2070–1600 BCE.
Did you know?The Xia Dynasty appears in later Chinese historical texts, but direct archaeological evidence securely identifying it remains debated, making it a boundary between history and legend.
Etymological Timeline
2nd millennium BCE
Old Chinese
夏
“The written name later associated with the Xia polity or dynasty; its deeper linguistic origin is uncertain.”
1st millennium BCE
Classical Chinese
夏 (Xià)
“The name of the Xia dynasty and, in some contexts, an old name connected with China or the Chinese people.”
1st century BCE–1st century CE
Chinese
夏
“A dynastic name preserved in historical works such as the Shiji and Hanshu.”
19th–20th Century
English
Hsia / Xia
“Older and modern systems of romanization used to represent the Chinese name.”
Modern English
English
Xia
“The standard pinyin form used for the ancient Chinese dynasty.”