Definify.com
Definition 2024
支那
支那
Japanese
| Kanji in this term | |
|---|---|
| 支 | 那 |
|
し Grade: 5 |
な Grade: S |
| on'yomi | |
Etymology
From Middle Chinese 支那 (tsye na), a phonetic transcription of Sanskrit चीन (cīna), itself likely deriving from Old Chinese 秦 (*dzin), the name of the Qin Dynasty and the Qin state.
Pronunciation
Alternative forms
Proper noun
支那 (hiragana しな, katakana シナ, romaji Shina)
- China (prewar; often considered derogatory in modern speech)
Usage notes
The kanji spelling 支那 was more common historically, and is still encountered with some frequency when this word is used. Modern usage includes シナ in katakana. However, this term as a whole is used less frequently than in the past, due in part to changes in geopolitics.