中国 from HSK Level 1 Vocabulary List

The Chinese word 中国 (Zhōngguó) is a compound of two characters: 中 (zhōng) and 国 (guó). 中 originally meant "middle" or "center", and was used to refer to the Central Plains region of China, which was considered the center of the world in ancient Chinese cosmology. 国 originally meant "state" or "country", and was used to refer to the various states that existed in ancient China. Over time, the term 中国 came to be used to refer to the entire country of China, and is now the standard name for China in Mandarin Chinese.The earliest known use of the term 中国 dates back to the 5th century BC, when it was used in the Zuo Zhuan, a chronicle of the Spring and Autumn period. In this context, 中国 referred to the Central Plains region of China, which was dominated by the Zhou dynasty at the time. The term continued to be used in this sense throughout the Warring States period and the Qin dynasty.During the Han dynasty, the term 中国 began to be used more broadly to refer to the entire country of China, including the areas that had been conquered by the Han armies in the south and west. This usage became more common during the Tang dynasty, when China reached its peak of power and influence. By the Song dynasty, 中国 was the standard name for China in Mandarin Chinese, and it has remained so ever since.The term 中国 has been translated into English in a variety of ways, including "Middle Kingdom", "Central Kingdom", and "China". The most common translation is "China", which is a direct transliteration of the Chinese pronunciation. However, some people prefer to use the translation "Middle Kingdom" or "Central Kingdom" to emphasize the historical significance of the Central Plains region in Chinese culture.