国歌

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 国歌 (guó gē) for "national anthem" is a compound of two characters: 国 (guó), meaning "country" or "nation," and 歌 (gē), meaning "song." The term "national anthem" is used to refer to a song that is officially adopted by a country as its national symbol. It is typically played or sung during official events, such as national holidays, sporting events, and other occasions where national pride is expressed.The character 国 (guó) has a long history in Chinese culture, dating back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE). It originally represented a walled city or state, but over time it came to be used more broadly to refer to a country or nation. The character 歌 (gē) also has a long history, dating back to the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046–256 BCE). It originally meant "to sing" or "to chant," but it later came to be used more broadly to refer to any kind of song.The term 国歌 (guó gē) first appeared in Chinese during the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912). It was used to refer to the national anthems of other countries, such as the British national anthem "God Save the Queen." However, it was not until the early 20th century that China adopted its own national anthem. The first Chinese national anthem, titled "Gong Jin Ge" (公进歌), was adopted in 1912. It was replaced in 1921 by the "San Min Zhu Yi Ge" (三民主义歌), which was the national anthem of the Republic of China until 1949. The current national anthem of the People's Republic of China, titled "Yì Yǒng Jūn Jìn Xíng Qǔ" (义勇军进行曲), was adopted in 1949.