北京

Chinese

		north	capital; Beijing (abbrev.)
trad. (北京)		北	京
simp. #(北京)		北	京
Literally: “northern capital”.

Wikipedia has articles on:

• 北京 (Written Standard Chinese^?)
• 北京 (Cantonese)
• 北京 (Classical)
• 北京 (Gan)
• Pet-kîn (Hakka)
• Báe̤k-gĭng (Eastern Min)
• Pak-kiaⁿ (Southern Min)
• 北京 (Wu)

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): Běijīng

  (Zhuyin): ㄅㄟˇ ㄐㄧㄥ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): be² jin¹

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): Быйҗин (Bɨyžin, I-I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): bak¹ ging¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): bak² gen¹

• Gan (Wiktionary): bet⁶ jin¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): Pet-kîn

  (Hailu, HRS): bed gin^ˋ

  (Meixian, Guangdong): bêd⁵ gin¹

• Jin (Wiktionary): bei² jing¹
• Northern Min (KCR): Bă̤-géng
• Eastern Min (BUC): Báe̤k-gĭng
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): bah⁶ ging¹
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): Pak-kiaⁿ

  (Teochew, Peng'im): bag⁴ gian¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁷poq-cin
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): be⁶ jin¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Běijīng
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄟˇ ㄐㄧㄥ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Běijing
    • Wade–Giles: Pei³-ching¹
    • Yale: Běi-jīng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Beeijing
    • Palladius: Бэйцзин (Bɛjczin)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /peɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Běijīngr
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄟˇ ㄐㄧㄥㄦ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: běijingr
    • Wade–Giles: pei³-ching¹-ʼrh
    • Yale: běi-jīngr
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: beeijiengl
    • Palladius: бэйцзинр (bɛjczinr)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /peɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕiɤ̯̃ɻ⁵⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: be² jin¹
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: be gin
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɛ²¹ t͡ɕin⁵⁵/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: Быйҗин (Bɨyžin, I-I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pei²⁴ t͡ɕiŋ²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: bak¹ ging¹
    • Yale: bāk gīng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: bak⁷ ging¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: beg¹ ging¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɐk̚⁵ kɪŋ⁵⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: bak² gen¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pak̚⁵⁵ ken³³/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: bet⁶ jin¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɛt̚⁵ t͡ɕin⁴²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Pet-kîn
    • Hakka Romanization System: bed^ˋ gin^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: bed⁵ gin¹
    • Sinological IPA: /pet̚² kin²⁴/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: bed gin^ˋ
    • Sinological IPA: /pet⁵⁻² kin⁵³/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: bêd⁵ gin¹
    • Sinological IPA: /pɛt̚¹ kin⁴⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: bei² jing¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /pei⁵³ t͡ɕiŋ¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: Bă̤-géng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɛ²⁴ keiŋ⁵⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: Báe̤k-gĭng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pøyʔ²⁴⁻²¹ kiŋ⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: bah⁶ ging¹ [Phonetic: bah⁷ ging¹]
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: Bah-ging
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /paʔ²¹⁻⁴⁵ kiŋ⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: bah⁶ ging¹ [Phonetic: bah⁷ ging¹]
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /paʔ²⁻⁴ kiŋ⁵⁴⁴/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Pak-kiaⁿ
    • Tâi-lô: Pak-kiann
    • Phofsit Daibuun: pakkviaf
    • IPA (Xiamen): /pak̚³²⁻⁴ kiã⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /pak̚⁵⁻²⁴ kiã³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /pak̚³²⁻⁵ kiã⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /pak̚³²⁻⁴ kiã⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /pak̚³²⁻⁴ kiã⁴⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: bag⁴ gian¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: pak kiaⁿ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pak̚²⁻⁴ kĩã³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁷poq-cin
    • MiniDict: poh^入 cin
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁴poq-jin
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /poʔ³³ t͡ɕin⁴⁴/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: be⁶ jin¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɤ̞²⁴ t͡ɕin³³/

---

• Middle Chinese: pok kjaeng

Rime
Character	北	京
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	幫 (1)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	德 (131)	庚 (111)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open
Division (等)	I	III
Fanqie	博墨切	舉卿切
Baxter	pok	kjaeng
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/pək̚/	/kˠiæŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/pək̚/	/kᵚiaŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/pək̚/	/kiaŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/pək̚/	/kiajŋ/
Li Rong	/pək̚/	/kiɐŋ/
Wang Li	/pək̚/	/kĭɐŋ/
Bernhard Karlgren	/pək̚/	/ki̯ɐŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	bo	jīng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	bak1	ging1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*pˤək  [k]raŋ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*pɯːɡ  kraŋ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	北	京
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	běi	jīng
Middle Chinese	‹ pok ›	‹ kjæng ›
Old Chinese	/*pˁək/	/*[k]raŋ/
English	north	hill; capital city
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	北	京
Reading #	1/1	1/1
No.	414	6828
Phonetic component	北	京
Rime group	職	陽
Rime subdivision	0	0
Corresponding MC rime	北	驚
Old Chinese	/*pɯːɡ/	/*kraŋ/

Proper noun

北京

2. (～市) Beijing (a direct-administered municipality, the capital city of China)

   中國的首都是北京。 [MSC, trad.]
   中国的首都是北京。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhōngguó de shǒudū shì Běijīng. [Pinyin]

   The capital of China is Beijing.

   北京的春天很適合騎車逛衚衕。 [MSC, trad.]
   北京的春天很适合骑车逛胡同。 [MSC, simp.]

   Běijīng de chūntiān hěn shìhé qíchē guàng hútòng. [Pinyin]

   Beijing’s spring is very suitable for cycling around the hutongs.

   原諒我不能陪你去北京。 [MSC, trad.]
   原谅我不能陪你去北京。 [MSC, simp.]

   Yuánliàng wǒ bù néng péi nǐ qù Běijīng. [Pinyin]

   Forgive me for not being able to go with you to Beijing.

   • 這話本也出在本朝宣德年間，有一老者，姓劉，名德，家佐河西務鎮上。這鎮在運河之旁，離北京有二百里田地，乃各省出入京都的要路。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     这话本也出在本朝宣德年间，有一老者，姓刘，名德，家佐河西务镇上。这镇在运河之旁，离北京有二百里田地，乃各省出入京都的要路。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Feng Menglong, Stories to Awaken the World, 1627 CE

     Zhè huàběn yě chū zài běncháo Xuāndé nián jiān, yǒu yī lǎozhě, xìng Liú, míng Dé, jiā zuǒ Héxīwù zhèn shàng. Zhè zhèn zài yùnhé zhī páng, lí běijīng yǒu èrbǎi lǐ tiándì, nǎi gè shěng chūrù jīngdōu de yàolù. [Pinyin]

     This story took place during the Xuande era of the current dynasty. There was an elderly man named Liu De who resided in Hexiwu town. This town is located beside the canal, about 200 lis away from Peking, and serves as a crucial route for people traveling to and from the capital from various provinces.

   Synonyms: 北平 (Běipíng) (historical), 燕京 (Yānjīng) (historical)

3. (metonymic) Beijing (the government of the People's Republic of China)
4. (historical) northern capital
   1. [5th c. CE] Jiankang (capital of Liu Song dynasty)—in modern-day Nanjing, Jiangsu province
   2. [5th c. CE] Jingkou (birthplace of Liu Song dynasty)—in modern-day Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province
   3. [5th c. CE] Pingcheng (capital of Northern Wei dynasty)—in modern-day Datong, Shanxi province
   4. [8th–10th c. CE] Taiyuan Fu (birthplace of Tang dynasty and many subsequent states)—in modern-day Taiyuan, Shanxi province
   5. [11th c. CE] Daming Fu (visited by Emperor Zhenzong)—in modern-day Handan, Hebei province
   6. [12th c. CE] Shangjing Linhuang Fu (one of the capitals of Jin dynasty)—in modern-day Chifeng, Inner Mongolia
   7. [12th c. CE] Zhongdu (one of the capitals of Jin dynasty)—in modern-day Beijing
   8. [14th c. CE] Kaifeng Fu (Ming dynasty)—in modern-day Kaifeng, Henan province

Usage notes

• Modern sense since 15^th century (capital of Ming, Qing, ROC formerly and now PRC)
• The name was chosen by the Yongle Emperor to distinguish the city from 南京 (Nánjīng, “Nanjing; southern capital”).

Synonyms

• (Beijing): (historical) 北平 (Běipíng), (literary, or ironic, humorous) 帝都 (dìdū), (historical, archaic) 燕京 (Yānjīng)

Derived terms

• 北京人 (Běijīngrén)
• 北京填鴨 / 北京填鸭
• 北京時間 / 北京时间 (Běijīng Shíjiān)
• 北京條約 / 北京条约
• 北京烤鴨 / 北京烤鸭 (Běijīng kǎoyā)
• 北京狗 (běijīnggǒu)
• 北京猿人 (Běijīng yuánrén)
• 北京話 / 北京话 (Běijīnghuà)
• 北京路 (Běijīnglù)
• 北京雨燕
• 北京鴨 / 北京鸭 (běijīngyā)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (北京):

• → Japanese: 北京(ほっきょう) (Hokkyō)
• → Korean: 북경(北京) (Bukgyeong)
• → Vietnamese: Bắc Kinh (北京)

Others:

• → Amis: Piking
• → Arabic: بِكِين (bikīn)
• → Asturian: Beijing
• → Belarusian: Пекі́н (Pjekín)
• → Bengali: বেইজিং (beijiṅ)
• → Bouyei: Bagtjingl
• → Burmese: ပေကျင်း (pe-kyang:), ပီကင်း (pikang:)
• → Catalan: Pequín
• → Czech: Peking
• → Danish: Beijing, Peking
• → Dutch: Peking
• → English: Beijing, Peking, Pei-ching
• → French: Pékin
• → Finnish: Peking, Beijing
• → Georgian: პეკინი (ṗeḳini)
• → German: Peking
• → Greek: Πεκίνο (Pekíno)
• → Hebrew: בייג׳ינג (beijing)
• → Hindi: बेजिंग (bejiṅg)
• → Hlai: Bhakgengs
• → Hungarian: Peking
• → Italian: Pechino
• → Japanese: 北(ペ)京(キン) (Pekin)
• → Kazakh: Бейжің (Beijıñ)
• → Khmer: ប៉េកាំង (peekang)
• → Korean: 베이징 (Beijing)
• → Lao: ປັກກິງ (pak king)
• → Latin: Pechinum
• → Latvian: Pekina
• → Lithuanian: Pekinas
• → Lü: ᦵᦗᦲᧉᦋᦲᧃᧈ (poe²tsiin¹)
• → Macedonian: Пекинг (Peking)
• → Manchu: ᠪᡝᡤᡳᠩ (beging)
• → Mongolian: Бээжин (Beežin) / ᠪᠡᠭᠡᠵᠢᠩ (begeǰing)
• → Nepali: बेइजिङ (beijiṅ)
• → Nuosu: ꀙꏢ (bip ji)
• → Persian: پکن (pekan)
• → Polish: Pekin
• → Portuguese: Pequim
• → Romanian: Beijing, Pekin
• → Russian: Пеки́н (Pekín)
  • → Armenian: Պեկին (Pekin)
• → Serbo-Croatian: Пѐкинг / Pèking, Бејџинг / Bejdžing
• → Slovene: Peking
• → Spanish: Pekín, Pequín
• → Swedish: Peking, Beijing
• → Telugu: బీజింగ్ (bījiṅg)
• → Thai: ปักกิ่ง (bpàk-gìng)
• → Tibetan: པེ་ཅིན (pe cin), པེ་ཅིང (pe cing)
• → Urdu: بیجنگ (bējiṅg)
• → Uyghur: بېيجىڭ (bëyjing)
• → Zhuang: Baekging

See also

• Other capitals in the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China: 南京 (Nánjīng) — 洛陽／洛阳 (Luòyáng) — 西安 (Xī'ān)
• Other directions: 南京 (Nánjīng, “southern capital”) — 東京／东京 (Dōngjīng, “eastern capital”) — 西京 (Xījīng, “western capital”)