běi jīng
Pékin
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我在北京。
Wǒ zài Běijīng.
I am in Beijing.
我去过北京。
Wǒ qùguò Běijīng.
I have been to Beijing.
我想去北京。
Wǒ xiǎng qù Běijīng.
I want to go to Beijing.
京 (jīng)
Capital
北平 (běipíng)
Northern Peace
燕京 (yānjīng)
Yan Capital
上海 (shànghǎi)
Shanghai
广州 (guǎngzhōu)
Guangzhou
The Chinese word 北京 (Běijīng) is the capital of China and has a rich history and cultural significance. The name 北京 is derived from two Chinese characters: 北 (běi), meaning "north," and 京 (jīng), meaning "capital." The character 京 has been used to refer to the capital city of China since the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046–771 BCE). The name 北京 was first used officially during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368 CE) when the city was designated as the northern capital of the empire. The city's name was changed to Beiping (北平) during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 CE) but was changed back to Beijing during the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912 CE). The name Beijing has been used ever since and is recognized internationally as the capital of China.
