Xinjiang
/ˌʃɪnˈdʒjɑːŋ/noun
A historic region and autonomous region in far-western China, officially called the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Did you know?The name became the official provincial designation in 1884 after the Qing reconquered the region, although the area had many older names in Chinese and Central Asian traditions.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Old Chinese
新疆
“The characters 新 and 疆, meaning “new” and “frontier” or “borderland.””
18th Century
Manchu/Qing Chinese
新疆
“A Qing administrative expression for newly incorporated frontier territories in Central Asia.”
1884
Qing Chinese
新疆省
““Xinjiang Province,” established when the Qing made the region a formal province.”
20th Century
Chinese
新疆省
“The provincial name continued under the Republic of China, though administrative boundaries changed.”
1955
Modern Chinese
新疆维吾尔自治区
““Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region,” the present official name established by the People’s Republic of China.”
Modern English
English
Xinjiang
“The standard English name for the region and autonomous region in western China.”
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