Yunnan
/ˌjuːˈnæn/noun
A province of southwestern China bordering Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam.
Did you know?The name 云南 appeared in Chinese historical records during the Han dynasty, although scholars debate whether Yun referred to a specific mountain range or was interpreted poetically as “clouds.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Old Chinese
雲 (Yun)
“Cloud; also associated with the geographical name Yun in early Chinese usage.”
Ancient Chinese
Old Chinese
南 (nan)
“South or southern side.”
109 BCE
Han Chinese
雲南 (Yunnan)
“A regional name established in Han-era records, generally understood as the area south of Yun.”
Medieval China
Middle Chinese
雲南
“The name of a southwestern Chinese region and administrative area.”
Modern English
English
Yunnan
“The established English name for China’s southwestern province.”
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