Why do We Call It “KOREA”?

After we talked over the story behind the name of “CHINA” and “JAPAN,” now we’re talking over Korea for this turn.
The country that was separated to 2 country is located in Korea Peninsula, border on Japan, Russia, and China.
The country that is a neighbour country of China and Japan has an endonym name which isn’t same with its exonym name that we know, that is 한국/조선 ( Han Guk/韓國 ).

The meaning? No else than “Han Country.”

↑Korea on Asian Map↑

Well, why do we call this country with “KOREA”?

The name “KOREA” derives from the biggest leader period in Korea, the Goryeo Period (935AD-1392AD).
The Chinese called the name of the period to refer the country. They spell the name with cauli. that spelling came to be spelled Corea and Korea in Europe and other countries.

In Korean language (Han Guk O), South Korea is called 대한 민국 (Dae Han Min Guk/大韓民國) or abbreviated by 한국(Han Guk/韓國). In international forum, this country is called “Republic of Korea.” And this country is called 남조선 (Namchosŏn/南朝鮮) or “South Chosŏn” by North Korean people.

Meanwhile, North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea/DDRK), is called 조선민주주의인민공화국 (Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk) or abbreviated by 조선 (Chosŏn), taken from the name of last leader period who led Korea, Joseon Period (1392AD-1897AD). The South Korean people call this country 북조선 (Pukchosŏn) or “North Chosŏn.”

That’s the story behind the name of “KOREA” (^_^)

Sources: Several sources.

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How is the Beginning of the Name of “JAPAN”?

↑Country of Japan on the Asian Map↑

Japan is a country which is located on eastern Asia continent. It has homogeneous people, the Ainu tribe. Japan is well-known by a developed country because of technology but still keeping its local cultures. The native people of Japan call their country by 日本 (Nippong/Nihong) which means “the sun’s origin/the land of the rising sun”).

Hmm, then how could it be JAPAN?

It’s related to the Meiji Restoration. As we know, before Meiji held the power of Japan (1868-1912), Japan was a country that be closed to the outsider because its leader, Tokugawa Shogunate, didn’t like the influence of outsider to Japanese cultures. That’s why, the country outside Japan knew Japan from its neighbourhood country, China.

In Chinese, the national language of China, the letter 日本 is read by “Ri Ben” (/:ze pen/). Can you see the connection? Yes, and Marco Polo wrote that spelling with the word “Cipangu.”

In ancient Malay, this country is called by “Jepang” adopting from the Chinese. This name of Japan in ancient Malay was brought to Europe by Portuguese merchant and rounded into several name of Japan like Japon (French), Japan (English), Giaponne (Italian), Japão (Portuguese), and so on.

The official name of this country until the end of world war II was 大日本帝國 (Dai Nippon Teikoku/Great Empire of Japan). But, now the official name of this country is 日本国 (Nippon Koku/Country of Japan).

Sources: Several sources

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Where is the Name of “CHINA” from?

Everybody knows where China is. A land in the “middle” of Asia Continent. This country has the largest population in the world. The citizens has yellow skin and crescent eyes.

↑China on Asian map↑

Do you know that “China” is an exonym word for this country? (*Exonym = a name for a place that is not used within that place by the local inhabitants; Endonym = the name used by people or locals themselves)
Meanwhile the endonym word for ‘China’ is 中国/中國 or “Zhōngguó” (read: chung kuo) means ‘Middle Kingdom’ (中/Zhōng /:chung/ = middle/centre; 国/Guó /:kuo/ = country/kingdom).

Then how do this thing become “CHINA”?

The word “china” came from the word CIN, a Persian name for this country that was popularized in Europe by Marco Polo. It also came from Sanskrit word for this country, Cīna. This word was recorded in 5th century BC in Mahābhārata, where it refers to a “yellow-coloured” barbarian tribe from the north.
This tribe is conventionally identified with Qin (秦 /:cin/), dinasty who led China in 221 BC-206 BC.
In Latin, the word China was historically referred to as Sinia (hence ”sino-”).

Now, the official name for this country is 中华人民共和国 or “Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó” (/:chunghua zenmin konghekuo/) which means “Republic of Chinese People” or abbreviated by 中国/Zhōngguó.

That is the history behind how we call this country CHINA.

Source: Several sources

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