亞洲 / 亚洲
yàzhōu
In Chinese, the English phrase "asia" is referred to as 亞洲 / 亚洲 (yàzhōu). Wiktionary also lists 亞細亞 / 亚细亚 (Yàxìyà).
Meaning: the continent of Asia (name)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 亞洲 / 亚洲 | yàzhōu | |
| 亞細亞 / 亚细亚 | Yàxìyà | dated |
| 亞洲 / 亚洲 | A-chiu | Hokkien |
This term refers to the continent of Asia.
Which one should you use?
The form 亞洲 / 亚洲 is the most common way to refer to the continent. The form 亞細亞 / 亚细亚 is a formal alternative, though it is often considered dated.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form Азия is used in Dungan. The form 亞洲 / 亚洲 is used in Hokkien.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is A-chiu.
Did you know?
- The Dungan language uses the Cyrillic form Азия because it is a Chinese language spoken by the Hui people in Central Asia who were influenced by Russian.
- The phonetic transliteration 亞細亞 was first documented in China by the Jesuit priest Matteo Ricci in 1602. It was part of his efforts to map the world for a Chinese audience.
- The term 亞洲 actually contains the word 洲, which means 'continent'. Without this extra character, the name would essentially just be a transliteration of the sound rather than a geographical designation.
Examples in context
- 亚洲是一个人口众多的大洲。Asia is a continent with a large population.
- 中国位于亚洲的东部。China is located in the eastern part of Asia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “asia” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 亞洲, 亞細亞, CC BY-SA 4.0.
