身毒
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Etymology
Transcription of the same Old Persian [script needed] (*Hinduka, “India”) (or its minor variants, such as 𐏃𐎡𐎯𐎢𐏁 (hinduš)) as 天竺 (Tiānzhú). It is the oldest of the Chinese names for India, and occurs in Shiji in connection with the mission of Zhang Qian to Daxia.
Using Middle Chinese reconstructions of the two characters in this word (ɕiɪn duok̚) gives the false impression that this is derived from the name of Sindhu (सिन्धु) – the name of the westernmost kingdom of India. Factors making this etymology unlikely include:
- Zhang Qian had no direct contact with India or with the Indians. He gathered the name from the people of Daxia which was a pure Iranian zone then under the occupation of Yuezhi;
- The choice of an alveolopalatal sibilant ɕ- for a clear dental sibilant s- in the original language; cf. known transcriptions of Sindhu: 新頭 新陶 辛頭 信度, all commencing with a dental sibilant; and
- The presence of a final -k in 身毒, as in 天竺.
The ancient Chinese writers have long suggested that shēn in this word had a different pronunciation. Yan Shigu in his commentary to the Hanshu says:
The variant of Late Old Chinese that Zhang Qian had used showed the dialectal development of Old Chinese 身 *n̥in > *χin ~ hin, explaining the choice of 身 (shēn). This is perhaps comparable to the case of 天 in 天竺 (“India”), also a dialectal Old Chinese variant pronunciation. Modern dictionaries variably designate the proper pronunciation of this word in modern Beijing Mandarin as Juāndú, Yuándú, Yuāndú, but rarely Shēndú as would be pronounced by an unknowledgeable native.
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin:
- Zhuyin: ㄐㄩㄢ ㄉㄨˊ
- Tongyong Pinyin: Jyuandú
- Wade–Giles: Chüan1-tu2
- Yale: Jywān-dú
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Jiuandwu
- Palladius: Цзюаньду (Czjuanʹdu)
- Sinological IPA (key): /t͡ɕy̯ɛn⁵⁵ tu³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese, variant)+
- Hanyu Pinyin:
- Zhuyin: ㄩㄢˊ ㄉㄨˊ
- Tongyong Pinyin: Yuándú
- Wade–Giles: Yüan2-tu2
- Yale: Ywán-dú
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Yuandwu
- Palladius: Юаньду (Juanʹdu)
- Sinological IPA (key): /ɥɛn³⁵ tu³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese, variant)+
- Hanyu Pinyin:
- Zhuyin: ㄩㄢ ㄉㄨˊ
- Tongyong Pinyin: Yuandú
- Wade–Giles: Yüan1-tu2
- Yale: Ywān-dú
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Iuandwu
- Palladius: Юаньду (Juanʹdu)
- Sinological IPA (key): /ɥɛn⁵⁵ tu³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: gyun1 duk1 / jyun4 duk1 / gyun1 duk6
- Yale: gyūn dūk / yùhn dūk / gyūn duhk
- Cantonese Pinyin: gyn1 duk7 / jyn4 duk7 / gyn1 duk9
- Guangdong Romanization: gün1 dug1 / yun4 dug1 / gün1 dug6
- Sinological IPA (key): /kyːn⁵⁵ tʊk̚⁵/, /jyːn²¹ tʊk̚⁵/, /kyːn⁵⁵ tʊk̚²/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Middle Chinese: syin dowk
Proper noun
身毒
Synonyms
Related terms
- 天竺 (Tiānzhú)
Descendants
Sino-Xenic (身毒):
- → Japanese: 身毒 (Shindoku)
- → Korean: 연독(身毒) (Yeondok), 건독(身毒) (Geondok), 신독(身毒) (Sindok)
Etymology
From Middle Chinese 身毒 (MC syin dowk).
Pronunciation
Proper noun
身毒 • (Shindoku)
See also
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