Where does “China” come from?

China (Malay) comes from Middle Persian ṣīn, from Sanskrit चीन, from Old Chinese 秦 — {{w|Qin |State of Qin}}, {{w|Qin dynasty}}; Qin.

Ancestry of “China”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle PersianṣīnChinese; porcelain
2Sanskritचीनthe Chinese people; China; a bandage for the...
3Old Chinese秦{{w|Qin |State of Qin}}, {{w|Qin dynasty}}; Qin
Every word from Old Chinese 秦 →Every word from Sanskrit चीन →Every word from Middle Persian ṣīn →
China — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer