What does cathay mean?

Definitions for cathay
kæˈθeɪcathay

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word cathay.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. China, People's Republic of China, mainland China, Communist China, Red China, PRC, Cathaynoun

    a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world

Wiktionary

  1. Cathaynoun

    The name that was given to northern China by Marco Polo

  2. Cathaynoun

    by extension, an alternate name for China.

  3. Etymology: From Portuguese "Catai", from Khitan (契丹, Qìdān), the Chinese name of a Mongolian tribe who ruled Manchuria from 907-1115. Cognate with Spanish Catay and Russian Китай.

Wikipedia

  1. Cathay

    Cathay (; Chinese: 契丹) is a historical name for China that was used in Europe. During the early modern period, the term Cathay initially evolved as a term referring to what is now Northern China, completely separate and distinct from China, which was a reference to southern China. As knowledge of East Asia increased, Cathay came to be seen as the same polity as China as a whole. The term Cathay became a poetic name for China. The name Cathay originates from the word Khitan, a name of a para-Mongolic nomadic people who ruled the Liao dynasty in northern China from 916 to 1125, and who later migrated west after they were overthrown by the Jin dynasty to form the Qara Khitai (Western Liao dynasty) for another century thereafter. Originally, this name was the name applied by Central and Western Asians and Europeans to northern China; the name was also used in Marco Polo's book on his travels in Yuan dynasty China (he referred to southern China as Mangi). Odoric of Pordenone (d. 1331) also writes about Cathay and the Khan in his travelbooks from his journey before 1331, perhaps 1321–1330.

ChatGPT

  1. cathay

    Cathay is an alternative historical name for China, often used in the West. It originated from the word "Khitan," the name of a nomadic people who founded the Liao dynasty in China. In modern times, "Cathay" is often used in the names of businesses such as Cathay Pacific Airways and Cathay Bank, which have connections to China.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Cathaynoun

    china; -- an old name for the Celestial Empire, said have been introduced by Marco Polo and to be a corruption of the Tartar name for North China (Khitai, the country of the Khitans.)

Wikidata

  1. Cathay

    Cathay is the Anglicized version of "Catai" and an alternative name for China in English. It originates from the word Khitan, the name of a nomadic people who founded the Liao Dynasty which ruled much of Northern China from 907 to 1125, and who had a state of their own centered around today's Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan for another century thereafter. Originally, Catai was the name applied by Central and Western Asians and Europeans to Western Liao and northern China; it obtained wide currency in Europe after the publication of Marco Polo's book. For centuries Cathay and China were believed by Europeans to be distinct nations with distinct cultures. However, by the late 1600s Europeans had mostly become aware that these were in fact the same nation. Cathay is often translated nowadays as 国泰 and 國泰, such as in Cathay Pacific Airways.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

  1. Cathay

    the name given to China by mediæval writers, which it still bears in Central Asia.

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How to say cathay in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of cathay in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of cathay in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of cathay in a Sentence

  1. Finance Secretary Paul Chan:

    It is not our intention to become a long term shareholder of Cathay Pacific, it is not our intention to interfere with the operation and management of Cathay.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

cathay#10000#38977#100000

Translations for cathay

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"cathay." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/cathay>.

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