英國 / 英国
Yīngguó
The phrase united kingdom in Chinese is translated as 英國 / 英国 (Yīngguó). If unsure, use 英國 / 英国. Wiktionary also lists 大不列顛及北愛爾蘭聯合王國 / 大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国 (Dà-Bùlièdiān jí Běi-Ài'ěrlán Liánhé Wángguó) and 聯合王國 / 联合王国 (Liánhé Wángguó).
Meaning: sovereign state in Europe (name)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 英國 / 英国 | Yīngguó |
| 大不列顛及北愛爾蘭聯合王國 / 大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国 | Dà-Bùlièdiān jí Běi-Ài'ěrlán Liánhé Wángguó |
| 聯合王國 / 联合王国 | Liánhé Wángguó |
英國 / 英国 is the most common and official way to refer to the United Kingdom in Mandarin Chinese. In informal or casual contexts, the English abbreviation UK is also used. Note that while 英國 refers to the UK, the term 英倫 can be used to refer specifically to England or things of an English nature.
What does it mean word for word?
The character 國 means 'country' or 'nation'.
Which one should you use?
英國 / 英国 is the common, everyday way to say 'United Kingdom', whereas 大不列顛及北愛爾蘭聯合王國 / 大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国 is the full, formal political name used in official documents.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
大不列顛及北愛爾蘭聯合王國 / 大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国 is the formal, full official name of the state. For casual settings, you may also see the English abbreviation UK used.
How do you pronounce it?
Yīngguó
Did you know?
- Using 英國 / 英国 can cause political misunderstandings when discussing Northern Ireland. This is because the term focuses on 'England' rather than the full union of the four nations.
- The word 英倫 is frequently used in the Chinese fashion and luxury industries. It is used to evoke a specific 'British' aesthetic rather than to describe the political state.
- While 英國 / 英国 is the standard term, you will find 英吉利 in older texts. This version is a phonetic transliteration of 'England' rather than a translation of its characteristics.
Examples in context
- 英国有着悠久的历史和文化。The United Kingdom has a long history and rich culture.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “united kingdom” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
