Zipangu
/zɪˈpæŋ.ɡuː/noun
A historical name used in medieval and early modern European sources for Japan.
Did you know?Marco Polo’s famous “Zipangu” helped spread the legend of a gold-rich island in the East, but the name ultimately traces back to Chinese renderings of Japan rather than any occult source.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Chinese
Chinese
日本國 (Rìběnguó)
““Country of the sun’s origin,” a Chinese name for Japan.”
Medieval Japanese
Japanese
Nippon / Nihon
“Native Japanese name for Japan, meaning “origin of the sun.””
13th Century
Middle Chinese / Latinized
Cipangu
“European rendering of a Chinese/Japanese form for Japan, entered Western texts through travelers’ reports.”
Late 13th Century
Italian
Zipangu
“Marco Polo’s form of the name for Japan in The Travels.”
Modern English
English
Zipangu
“Historical or literary name for Japan, especially in medieval travel writing.”