Yangtze
/ˈjæŋt.si/noun
The conventional English name for the Chang Jiang, the longest river in China and the third-longest river in the world.
Did you know?In Chinese, the river is generally called Chang Jiang, meaning “Long River”; “Yangtze” came from foreign mapmakers adapting the name of the Yangzi area near Yangzhou.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient China
Chinese
揚子
“Yangzi; the name of a locality or river section near present-day Yangzhou, not originally the name of the entire river”
Ancient China
Chinese
江
“River; a traditional term that became especially associated with the Yangtze”
Medieval Chinese
Chinese
揚子江
“Yangzi River; the river-name used for the lower course near Yangzhou”
17th Century
European usage
Yangtze Kiang
“A European rendering of Yangzi Jiang, transmitted through missionary and travel accounts”
19th Century
English
Yangtze
“The established English name for the full river, shortened from Yangtze Kiang”
Modern English
English
Yangtze
“The conventional English exonym for the Chang Jiang, or Long River”
Explore more surprising origins