Etymograph

English

Zhongnanhai

Zhongnanhai comes from Chinese 中南海 ‘Central South Sea’.

  1. Chinesemodern中南海Zhōngnánhǎi‘Central South Sea’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1989Zhongnanhai

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Chinesemodern中南海Zhōngnánhǎi‘Central South Sea’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1989Zhongnanhai

Earliest quotation: 1989, Daniel Southerl, TROOPS ROLL THROUGH BEIJING TO CRUSH PROTESTERS: “A second tear-gas attack, combined with a violent nightstick…”

A compound of 中海 ‘Central Sea’ + 南海 ‘South Sea’

The story

The atonal Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the Mandarin pronunciation of Chinese 中南海 (Zhōngnánhǎi, “Central South Sea”), a compound of the names 中海 (zhōnghǎi, “Central Sea”) + 南海 (Nánhǎi, “South Sea; Nanhai”), two lakes in central Beijing just west of the Forbidden City.

Every English word from Chinese 中南海

Today it means

name An area and building in Xicheng district, Beijing, China, which houses the government leaders of the People's Republic of China.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Chinese 中南海 / Zhongnanhai

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