Τζίνιστα

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• Τζίνιτζα (Tzínitza) — rare

Etymology

Uncertain, but probably from Sanskrit चीन (Cīna, “China”), possibly via Arabic صِين (Ṣīn, “China; the Chinese”) and usually held to derive from Old Chinese 秦 (*zin, “Qin”). See "Names of China" at Wikipedia.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈtzi.nis.ta/

• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈtzi.nis.ta/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈtzi.nis.ta/

Proper noun

Τζίνιστα • (Tzínista)

1. (culture) a land and people of East Asia usually identified as the southern Chinese
   • 6th century, Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography, II, 45:

     Αὕτη δὲ ἡ χώρα τοῦ μεταξίου ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ ἐσωτέρᾳ πάντων Ἰνδίᾳ, κατὰ τὸ ἀριστερὸν μέρος εἰσιόντων τοῦ Ἰνδικοῦ πελάγους, περαιτέρω πολὺ τοῦ Περσικοῦ κόλπου καὶ τῆς νήσου τῆς καλουμένης παρὰ μὲν Ἰνδοῖς, Σελεδίβα, παρὰ δὲ τοῖς Ἕλλησι, Ταπροβάνη, Τζίνιστα οὕτω καλουμένη, κυκλουμένη πάλιν ἐξ ἀριστερῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ὠκεανοῦ, ὥσπερ καὶ ἡ Βαρβαρία κυκλοῦται ἐκ δεξιῶν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ... Περαιτέρω δὲ τῆς Τζίνιστα οὔτε πλέεται οὔτε οἰκεῖται.

     Haútē dè hē khṓra toû metaxíou estìn en têi esōtérāi pántōn Indíāi, katà tò aristeròn méros eisióntōn toû Indikoû pelágous, peraitérō polù toû Persikoû kólpou kaì tês nḗsou tês kalouménēs parà mèn Indoîs, Seledíba, parà dè toîs Héllēsi, Taprobánē, Tzínista hoútō kalouménē, kuklouménē pálin ex aristerôn hupò toû Ōkeanoû, hṓsper kaì hē Barbaría kukloûtai ek dexiôn hup᾽ autoû... Peraitérō dè tês Tzínista oúte pléetai oúte oikeîtai.

     Now this country of silk is situated in the remotest of all the Indies, and lies to the left of those who enter the Indian sea, far beyond the Persian Gulf, and the island called by the Indians Selediba and by the Greeks Taprobanê. It is called Tzinista, and is surrounded on the left by the ocean, just as Barbaria is surrounded by it on the right... Beyond Tzinista there is neither navigation nor any land to inhabit.

Synonyms

• Θῖνα (Thîna), Θῖναι (Thînai), Σῖναι (Sînai)

See also

• (modern China): Κίνα (Kína)