Where does “China” come from?
China (Dutch) comes from Portuguese china, from Medieval Latin Sina, from Latin Sīnae, from Ancient Greek Σῖναι, from Arabic صِين, from Pahlavi čīn, from Sanskrit चीन, from Old Chinese 秦 — {{w|Qin |State of Qin}}, {{w|Qin dynasty}}; Qin.
Ancestry of “China”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portuguese | china | a woman, especially one of Native American... |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | Sina | — |
| 3 | Latin | Sīnae | the Chinese, specifically |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | Σῖναι | the southern Chinese |
| 5 | Arabic | صِين | — |
| 6 | Pahlavi | čīn | — |
| 7 | Sanskrit | चीन | the Chinese people; China; a bandage for the... |
| 8 | Old Chinese | 秦 | {{w|Qin |State of Qin}}, {{w|Qin dynasty}}; Qin |