Sina
[ˈsiː.na]feminine
In Latin, the phrase for China is Sina. Wiktionary also lists Sinae and Serica.
Meaning: country in East Asia (name)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sina | [ˈsiː.na] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈsiː.na] (narrow) |
feminine |
| Sinae | [ˈsiː.nae̯] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈsiː.ne] (narrow) |
feminine |
| Serica | [ˈseː.rɪ.ka] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈsɛː.ri.ka] (narrow) |
feminine |
| Chinae | [ˈkʰiː.nae̯] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈkiː.ne] (narrow) |
feminine |
The word is used to refer to the country in East Asia. Depending on the context, it can also refer to the Chinese people or the lands they inhabit.
Which one should you use?
While Sina is the standard name, Serica is a historical term that specifically refers to the 'Land of Silk'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Sinae is the plural form of Sina and is used to refer to the Chinese people or the Chinese lands. Chinae is the genitive or dative singular form of the noun Sina, meaning 'of China' or 'to China'.
Did you know?
- There is a historical ambiguity in Latin where Sina might be confused with the Hebrew word for Mount Sinai.
- The word Sina likely originates from the 'Qin' dynasty, which was the first dynasty to unify China.
- The word Serica was used by Romans to describe a land of legend, as they knew the product of silk long before they knew the actual geography of the region.
Examples in context
- In Sina non sum.I'm not in China.This sentence shows how to use Sina to express being in a location.Tatoeba #11797270 by soridsolid, translation #11324274 by Luornu
- Iaponia prope Sinas est.Japan is close to China.This sentence uses Sina to describe a geographical relationship.Tatoeba #8801875 by RudeGuyGames, translation #456269 by lukaszpp
- Mense Maio ad Sinas ibit.He goes to China in May.This sentence uses Sina to indicate travel towards a destination.Tatoeba #1235170 by alexmarcelo, translation #792533 by ryanthewired
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Quintus and Julia are discussing geography.
- QuintusUbi est Sina in mappa?Where is China on the map?
- JuliaSina est in oriente.China is in the east.
- QuintusEstne Sina magna terra?Is China a large land?
- JuliaIta, Sina est maxima.Yes, China is very large.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “china” translations and entries Sina, Sinae, Serica, Chinae, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Chinae, Serica, Sina, Sinae, serica, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
