意大利
YìdàlìHong Kong, Mainland China
意大利 (Yìdàlì) is the Chinese word for Italy. Wiktionary also lists 義大利 / 义大利 (Yìdàlì) and 意大利亞 / 意大利亚 (Yìdàlìyà).
Meaning: country in southern Europe (name)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 意大利 | Yìdàlì | Hong Kong, Mainland China |
| 義大利 / 义大利 | Yìdàlì | Taiwan |
| 意大利亞 / 意大利亚 | Yìdàlìyà | obsolete |
The word refers to the country in southern Europe.
Which one should you use?
The term 意大利亞 or 意大利亚 is an obsolete way of referring to the country.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore, 意大利 is used. In Taiwan, the preferred form is 義大利 or its simplified version 义大利.
How do you pronounce it?
Yìdàlì
Did you know?
- The term 意大利 first appeared in a Chinese magazine in 1837, coinciding with an era of increased Western contact.
- While 意大利 is standard in Mainland China, the variation 義大利 is so common in Taiwan that using the mainland version there can immediately signal a person's origin.
- The term 義大利 uses the traditional character 義, which typically means 'righteousness' or 'justice', purely for its sound in this context.
Examples in context
- 我坐飞机去意大利。I'm flying to Italy.This sentence is useful for describing travel plans to 意大利.Tatoeba #3378082 by GlossaMatik, translation #3378083 by AlanF_US
- 他在意大利出版图书。He publishes books in Italy.This sentence is useful for mentioning publishing activities in 意大利.Tatoeba #7771909 by jiangche, translation #1816605 by Amastan
- 佛罗伦萨是意大利最美丽的城市。Florence is the most beautiful city in Italy.This sentence is useful for describing the beauty of cities within 意大利.Tatoeba #1776667 by sadhen, translation #2435 by CK
- 这份合作伙伴关系将有助于加强中国与义大利之间的经济合作。This partnership will contribute to strengthening economic cooperation between China and Italy.
- 请问您从义大利来吗？May I ask if you are from Italy?
- 我最喜欢的欧洲国家是意大利。My favorite country in Europe is Italy.
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their travel plans.
- 俊杰 Junjie你想去意大利旅游吗？Nǐ xiǎng qù Yìdàlì lǚyóu ma?Do you want to travel to Italy?
- 雨婷 Yuting我想去，我也很喜欢那里的美食。Wǒ xiǎng qù, wǒ yě hěn xǐhuān nàlǐ de měishí.I want to go, and I also really like the food there.
- 俊杰 Junjie那我们明年一起去吧。Nà wǒmen míngnián yìqǐ qù ba.Then let's go together next year.
- 雨婷 Yuting太好了，我等不及了！Tài hǎo le, wǒ děng bù jí le!Great, I can't wait!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “italy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 意大利, 意大利亞, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
