Xianyang
/ɕjɛ̌n.jǎŋ/noun
A city in Shaanxi Province, China, that served as the capital of the Qin state and dynasty.
Did you know?Xianyang became the capital of Qin in the 4th century BCE and remained the imperial seat when Qin Shi Huang unified China in 221 BCE.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese period
Old Chinese
咸陽 (*[ɢˤr]əm laŋ)
“The place-name later written as 咸陽; 咸 meant “all” or “entire,” while 陽 referred to the sunny or north-facing side of a natural feature.”
4th Century BCE
Chinese
咸陽
“Qin established Xianyang as its capital, probably reflecting the traditional geographic use of 陽 for a sunward side or the north side of a river.”
3rd Century BCE
Chinese
咸陽
“The capital of the Qin state and, after 221 BCE, the first unified Chinese empire.”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
咸陽 (*ɦˠɛm jɨɐŋ)
“The established historical place-name, pronounced with the Middle Chinese forms of 咸 and 陽.”
Modern Mandarin
Mandarin
Xiányáng
“The modern Chinese pronunciation and official romanization of 咸陽.”
Modern English
English
Xianyang
“The standard English spelling for the historic and modern city in Shaanxi.”