50 replies to this topic

[Kulong]

New question... are the Japanese referred to as Wo?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Modern days, Japanese are simply "Ribenren" or "people of Japan".

I believe in ancient times, Japanese were refered to as "Wokou"? But I thought it was a deogratory term (or at least it became one later on).

[General_Zhaoyun]

No, Japan was called "Dong Yin" 东赢 in ancient times. "Wo Kou" 倭寇 was a term used during Ming dynasty to referred to Japanese pirates that raided Chinese coast during late Ming era. "Wo Kou" means "dwarf pirates or robbers".

Today's Japan is called "Ri ben" 日本 and means "Origin from the Sun"

[Borjigin Ayurbarwada]

The term Ri Ben is already in use during the yuan and perhaps the Song, I found that term in Yuan Shi.

[Sephodwyrm]

I prefer to say South Korea as Dae Han Min Vietnamese.
North Korea...not too sure, but DPRK should have some Korean translation, right?
I would like to know how Koreans call North Korea by its full political name.

[Gubook Janggoon]

Its very long and hard to pronounce...maybe i'll find out later...

[Kulong]

I prefer to say South Korea as Dae Han Min Vietnamese.

Are you Korean?

North Korea...not too sure, but DPRK should have some Korean translation, right?
I would like to know how Koreans call North Korea by its full political name.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

According to CIA's "Word Fact Book", it's Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk

http://www.cia.gov/c...os/kn.html#Govt

朝鲜民主主义人民共和国
Chaoxian Minzhuzhuyi Remin Gongheguo

조선(朝鮮) 민주주의(民主主義) 공화국(共和國)

BTW, according to Hangul romanization, the proper way of spelling should be "Joseon Minjujui Gonghuagug". I don't know why Korean romanization is so inconsistent like Taiwan's when Hangul is a phonetic spelling system and you can simply directly translate each syllable. But anyway, this is going off topic

[Gubook Janggoon]

Ok reading Kulong's post in Korean it's pronounced..I think the way the CIA wrote it is wrong... it is

조선(朝鮮) 민주주의(民主主義) 공화국(共和國)

Josun Minjoojooeh Gohnghwagook

[Kulong]

I think the way the CIA wrote it is wrong

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heh... CIA is wrong...

[Karakhan]

and you can simply directly translate each syllable.  But anyway, this is going off topic 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I dont mean to continue the off topic..but there is some problem witn romanizing it I notice.. especially with the vowel 어 so far I see "eo" "uh" and "u" and (으) I've seen "eu" and "ee"

[Koolasuchus]

Another term used in Northern China for Koreans is Gaoli Bangzi, a not-so-nice refrence to many Korean's role during Sino-Japanese war and WW2 as the some of the most brutal enforcers of Japanese occupiers.

On the subject of Japan, the earliest refrence was from Zhuangzi, who mentioned a people called Wo live in an island east of Qi state who have some rather strange rituals and customs (to the Chinese of that time). During the later parts of the Eastern Han dynasty there were some contacts with Japan and they were still refered to as Wo. It was not until official diplomatic contacts were established were the derogatory name for the Japanese changed.

[Kulong]

On the subject of Japan, the earliest refrence was from Zhuangzi, who mentioned a people called Wo live in an island east of Qi state who have some rather strange rituals and customs (to the Chinese of that time).  During the later parts of the Eastern Han dynasty there were some contacts with Japan and they were still refered to as Wo.  It was not until official diplomatic contacts were established were the derogatory name for the Japanese changed. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But even during then, was Japan a united nation yet?

[DaMo]

But even during then, was Japan a united nation yet?

Probably not much of a "nation" at all. But once when China was divided, it used to be called Cathay, after the Khitan who ruled the Western Liao kingdom. This sort of thing is not unusual.

[Kulong]

Probably not much of a "nation" at all. But once when China was divided, it used to be called Cathay, after the Khitan who ruled the Western Liao kingdom. This sort of thing is not unusual.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This may be getting off-topic but I've always wondered about the origin of the name, "Cathay". As far as I know, English is the only language that has the "th" sound, so when and where did this name come from?

[DaMo]

This may be getting off-topic but I've always wondered about the origin of the name, "Cathay".  As far as I know, English is the only language that has the "th" sound, so when and where did this name come from?

Hey, Hindi also has "th", both as "th" and "t'h".

The Western Liao Khitans were called Qira Khitai, or Black Khitans. Khitai corrupted became Cathay.

http://www.bartleby..../ca/Cathay.html

Cathay
 
 
(kth´) (KEY) , name for North China used by medieval Europeans, derived from the Khitan (or Khitai), a Manchurian people who conquered S Manchuria and N China and founded the Liao dynasty (937–1125). S China was referred to as Mangi. Long after the end of the Liao, the Russians and some central Asian people continued to and still use Kitai as the name of China. The description of Cathay by Marco Polo (c.1254–c.1324) in his journal helped popularize the name in medieval Europe.