Pronunciation of major geographical Japanese names in Chinese

[atitarev]

As promised in the parallel thread, here we go...

This is how Japanese cities, prefectures, etc. sound in Chinese Mandarin:

(I hope the format is readable as it has entries from both Chinese and Japanese dictionaries).

The Japanese Kanji part has only one version (current) but the Chinese has also traditional version in square brackets if different from simplified.

The prefectures are followed by the capitals (often having the same name, hence repeated)

To avoid ambiguity about the Japanese writing, the Japanese Kanji are marked (Japanese). All English names, except for the country name "Nihon" and the macron (shows long vowels) match Rōma-ji, so no need to translate into English.

I highlighted the Japanese specific characters in brown (if I haven't missed any.

日本 Rìběn Nihon (Japan) 東京 (Japanese) 东京[東-] Dōngjīng Tōkyō

北海道 Běihǎidào Hokkaidō:

北海道 Běihǎidào Hokkaidō 札幌 Zháhuǎng Sapporo

東北地方 Tōhoku Chihō 东北地方[東---] Dōngběi Dìfāng:

秋田 Qiūtián Akita

青森 Qīngsēn Aomori

福島 (Japanese) 福岛[-島] Fúdǎo Fukushima

岩手 Yánshǒu Iwate 盛岡 (Japanese) 盛冈[-岡] Chénggāng Morioka

宮城 (Japanese) 宫城[宮-] Gōngchéng Miyagi 仙台 Xiāntái Sendai

山形 Shānxíng Yamagata

関東地方 (Japanese) Kantō Chihō 关东地方[關東--] Kantō Dìfāng:

東京 (Japanese) 东京[東-] Dōngjīng Tōkyō 東京 (Japanese) 东京[東-] Dōngjīng Tōkyō

千葉 (Japanese) 千叶[-葉] Qiānyè Chiba 千葉 (Japanese) 千叶[-葉] Qiānyè Chiba

群馬 (Japanese) 群马[-馬] Qúnmǎ Gunma 前橋 (Japanese) 前桥[-橋] Qiánqiáo Maebashi

茨城 Cíchéng Ibaraki 水戸 (Japanese) 水户[-戶] Shuǐhù Mito

神奈川 Shénnàichuān Kanagawa 横浜 (Japanese) 横滨[橫濱] Héngbīn Yokohama

埼玉 Qíyù Saitama 埼玉 Qíyù Saitama

栃木 (Japanese) 枥木[櫪-] Lìmù Tochigi 宇都宫 Yǔdōugōng Utsunomiya

中部地方 (Japanese) Chūbu Chihō 中部地方 Zhōngbù Dìfāng:

愛知 (Japanese) 爱知[愛-] Àizhī Aichi 名古屋 Mínggǔwū Nagoya

福井 Fújǐng Fukui 福井 Fújǐng Fukui

岐阜 Qífù Gifu 岐阜 Qífù Gifu

石川 Shíchuān Ishikawa 金沢 (Japanese) 金泽[-澤] Jīnzé Kanazawa

長野 (Japanese) 长野[長-] Chángyě Nagano 長野 (Japanese) 长野[長-] Chángyě Nagano

新潟 Xīnxì Niigata 新潟 Xīnxì Niigata

静岡 (Japanese) 静冈[靜岡] Jìnggāng Shizuoka 静岡 (Japanese) 静冈[靜岡] Jìnggāng Shizuoka

富山 Fùshān Toyama 富山 Fùshān Toyama

山梨 Shānlí Yamanashi 甲府 Jiǎfǔ Kōfu

関西地方 (Japanese) Kansai (Kinki) Chihō 关西(近畿)地方 Guānxī (Jìnjī) Dìfāng:

also called: 近畿地方 Kinki Chihō 近畿地方 Jìnjī Dìfāng

兵庫 (Japanese) 兵库[-庫] Bīngkù Hyōgo 神戸 (Japanese) 神户[-戶] Shénhù Kōbe

三重 Sānchóng Mie 津 Jīn Tsu

奈良 Nàiliáng Nara 奈良 Nàiliáng Nara

滋賀 (Japanese) 滋贺[-賀] Zīhè Shiga 大津 Dàjīn Ōtsu

和歌山 Hégēshān Wakayama 和歌山 Hégēshān Wakayama

京都 Jīngdū Kyōto 京都 Jīngdū Kyōto

大阪 (Japanese) 大坂[-阪] Dàbǎn Ōsaka 大阪 (Japanese) 大坂[-阪] Dàbǎn Ōsaka

中国地方 Chūgoku Chihō 中国地方[-國--] Zhōngguó Dìfāng:

also called: 山陰山陽地方 San'in San'yō Chihō 山阴山阳地方[-陰-陽--] Shānyīn Shānyáng Dìfāng San'in San'yō Chihō

広島 (Japanese) 广岛[廣島] Guǎngdǎo Hiroshima 広島 (Japanese) 广岛[廣島] Guǎngdǎo Hiroshima

岡山 (Japanese) 冈山[岡-] Gāngshān Okayama 岡山 (Japanese) 冈山[岡-] Gāngshān Okayama

島根 (Japanese) 岛根[島-] Dǎogēn Shimane 松江 Sōngjiāng Matsue

鳥取 (Japanese) 鸟取[鳥-] Niǎoqǔ Tottori 鳥取 (Japanese) 鸟取[鳥-] Niǎoqǔ Tottori

山口 Shānkǒu Yamaguchi 山口 Shānkǒu Yamaguchi

四国地方 Shikoku Chihō 四国地方[-國--] Sìguó Dìfāng

愛媛 (Japanese) 爱媛[愛-] Àiyuàn Ehime 松山 Sōngshān Matsuyama

香川 Xiāngchuān Kagawa 高松 Gāosōng Takamatsu

高知 Gāozhī Kōchi 高知 Gāozhī Kōchi

徳島 (Japanese) 德岛[-島] Dédǎo Tokushima 徳島 (Japanese) 德岛[-島] Dédǎo Tokushima

九州地方 Kyūshū Chihō 九州地方 Jiǔzhōu Dìfāng:

福岡 (Japanese) 福冈[-岡] Fúgāng Fukuoka 福岡 (Japanese) 福冈[-岡] Fúgāng Fukuoka

鹿児島 (Japanese) 鹿儿岛[-兒島] Lù'érdǎo Kagoshima 鹿児島 (Japanese) 鹿儿岛[-兒島] Lù'érdǎo Kagoshima

熊本 Xióngběn Kumamoto 熊本 Xióngběn Kumamoto

宮崎 (Japanese) 宫崎[宮-] Gōngqí Miyazaki 宮崎 (Japanese) 宫崎[宮-] Gōngqí Miyazaki

長崎 (Japanese) 长崎[長-] Chángqí Nagasaki 長崎 (Japanese) 长崎[長-] Chángqí Nagasaki

大分 Dàfēn Ōita 大分 Dàfēn Ōita

佐賀 (Japanese) 佐贺[-賀] Zuǒhè Saga 佐賀 (Japanese) 佐贺[-賀] Zuǒhè Saga

沖縄 (Japanese) 冲绳[沖繩] Chōngshéng Okinawa 那覇 (Japanese) 那霸 Nàbà Naha (Okinawa)

琉球诸岛 Ryūkyū Shotō 琉球群岛[---島] Liúqiú Qúndǎo

also called: 南西諸島 Nansei Shotō 南西群岛[---島] Nánxī Qúndǎo

Major islands:

本州 Běnzhōu Honshū

九州 Jiǔzhōu Kyūshū

北海道 Běihǎidào Hokkaidō

四国 (Japanese) 四国[-國] Sìguó Shikoku

The famous mountain:

富士山 Fùshì Shān Fujisan or Fujiyama

Terminology:

Japanese: 県 (Ken) prefecture (of Japan); county (of China)

Chinese: 県 (Japanese version of 县縣) [xiàn] county, district, subdivision, Ken)

Chinese: 县[縣] ²xiàn n. ①county ②Ken (type of province in Japan)

都 Dū To (type of province in Japan)

府 Fǔ Fu (type of province in Japan)

道 Dào Dō (type of province in Japan - only about 北海道 Hokkaidō)

地方 (chihō (Japanese), dìfāng (Chinese) is normally 地区 dìqū

So, 中国地方 (Chūgoku chihō) is normally written as 中国地区 (Zhōngguó dìqū)

EDIT:

Thanks, Mugi.

Corrections:

副島 → 福島

横浜 →横滨; [橫-] → [橫濱]; Héngbāng → Héngbīn

Sānzhòng → Sānchóng

Lù'erdǎo → Lù'érdǎo

[ipsi()]

Good work. However, I'm slightly confused by the fact that the presence (or lack) of pinyin seems rather arbitrary... Why do some entires have pinyin and some not?

[atitarev]

The tabulation has disappeared

Some entries were supposed to be separators. Entries from the Japanese dictionaries were tabulated, they don't have Pinyin but Romaji. Which ones do you mean?

[ipsi()]

北海道 Hokkaidō, for example, has no pinyin, while 道 Dào Dō does... It just seemed a bit strange, but if the tabulation is gone, that would make more sense.

[atitarev]

I will edit the list to make it more readable. Yeah, I noticed some gaps, sorry

[atitarev]

I have updated my 1st post to make it user-friendly.

[ipsi()]

That looks much better. Possibly you could upload a word document or something with proper tabulation? That may be a bit nicer.

[atitarev]

No, there's no other tabulation,sorry. It looks better here I saved the file in Wenlin. I used Wikipedia (English, Chinese, Japanese), Wenlin for Chinese and NJStar Japanese WP.

A quick note on Japanese pronunciation for those not familiar with Roma-ji but familiar with Pinyin

Romaji - Pinyin (rough comparison):

chi - qi

shi - xi

ra, ri, re, ro - la, li, le, luo

ji - ji

[Mugi]

Just a couple of corrections:

副島 (Japanese) 福岛[-島] Fúdǎo Fukushima

副島 → 福島

横浜[橫-] Héngbāng Yokohama

横浜 →横滨; [橫-] → [橫濱]; Héngbāng → Héngbīn

(In Mandarin 浜 is in fact bāng, but the Japanese 浜 means "beach" and is a simplification of 滨 / 濱 (bīn))

三重 Sānzhòng

Sānzhòng → Sānchóng

鹿児島 (Japanese) 鹿儿岛[-兒島] Lù'erdǎo Kagoshima 鹿児島 (Japanese) 鹿儿岛[-兒島] Lù'erdǎo Kagoshima

Lù'erdǎo → Lù'érdǎo

You're also inconsistent with the first tone on the "fang" of 地方, although I would need to consult a native mainland Mandarin speaker to determine whether in this case it is pronounced as first tone or as the neutral tone.

[atitarev]

All fixed, thanks a lot!

地方 (Japanese [chihō]) can be pronounced as either dìfāng or dìfang in Chinese.

[Mugi]

Yes, I'm well aware that 地方 has two pronunciations in Putonghua, with two different usages/meanings, but the Japanese usage of appending it to a proper place name to mark it as a 'region' is uncommon if not non-existent in Chinese. Chinese uses 地区 or sometimes 地域 in this case (i.e. [Jap] XX地方 -> [Chin] XX地区; so 関東地方 usually becomes 关东地区). My guess would be that if the Japanese rendering is used as is, the 方 should be pronounced in first tone, but not being a native speaker I can't be sure.

[atitarev]

Chinese uses 地区 or sometimes 地域 in this case (i.e. [Jap] XX地方 -> [Chin] XX地区; so 関東地方 usually becomes 关东地区).

I think Chinese are aware of the differences, and at least, officially 中国地方 can stay 中国地方.

See:

中国地方

中国地方，汉语亦称为中国地区

[Mugi]

I think you've missed my point.

My initial comment was to point out that sometimes you had dìfāng and sometimes dìfang.

But although my feeling would be that it should be dìfāng, I wasn't 100% sure.

Although somewhat irrelevant, I then simply noted that in Chinese 地方 isn't used the same way as it is in Japanese - 关东地方 is not natural Chinese. 関東地方 is usually translated as 关东地区 in Chinese (a natural collocation). Do a quick Google, or better still, Baidu search for the strings "关东地方" and "关东地区" and you'll see what I mean.

I'm not suggesting that you change 地方 to 地区 in your file (although you may like to add a note); I'm simply noting a point of difference between Japanese and Chinese usage.

That aside, this would back up my assumption that 地方 should be dìfāng.

[atitarev]

All done.

I will probably focus on getting my page's format right in Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_exonyms_for_places_in_Japan

It's a bit raw

[Mugi]

Looks good!

[atitarev]

Thank you for your input, Mugi! If you're part of Wikipedia, I don't mind if you add value there. I need some time to learn how to build tables properly. I also don't want to spend too much time on this, there are better things to do - like learning Chinese.

Not sure if anyone is interested in this type of info, perhaps the proper place would be this forum's Wiki.

[atitarev]

Can someone please explain if the usage of Japanese specific characters is appropriate in a Chinese text:

The Tochigi Prefecture is spelled in Japanese as 栃木県 (Tochigi ken). I understand that the last character 県 (ken - prefecture) is written as 县 (simplified) or 縣 (traditional) in Chinese but what about the character 栃? It doesn't exist in standard Mandarin, IMHO and should be written either as 枥 (simplified) or 櫪 (traditional). Although the simplified character looks similar to the modern Japanese kanji, it's not the same.

On Chinese Wikipedia I had a discussion and a native Chinese speaker who reverted my edit from 枥木/櫪木 to 栃木, saying this was correct (in Chinese!). Please tell me who is right.

In short, in my opinion, on this page, the first column should NOT 栃木, as character 栃 is not Chinese, what do you think? Check this page: 都道府县

Also, here's an entry in the ABC dictionary, proving that I am right:

栃 [lì] (Japanese version of 枥櫪) type of oak; stable

Talk Page

[atitarev]

Unfortunately, my article has been removed, you can view it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Tenmei/Sandbox/List_of_Chinese_exonyms_for_places_in_Japan

It starts with a discussion but you can still see the contents.

[chrix]

Sorry to jump in so late on this topic, but I noticed one important oversight: 富士山 is Fujisan, never Fujiyama. It's a common mistake.

To be fair, place names ending in 山、島、町 can be a pain, because sometimes they're read in kun'yomi, sometimes in on'yomi, and sometimes both ways are possible. And of course sometimes they enter into 連濁...

An interesting case in point: 硫黄島 as in "Letters from...." was officially called Iōtō, but everybody kept calling the island Iōjima, including the natives (who had been resettled in islands nearby). I think about one or two years ago they were successful in petitioning the government to officially change the reading to match popular usage. I still remember the news articles struggling the explain the problem to Western readers

[atitarev]

The page is here now, it still needs some formatting work (to do), I need to make it as a table with highlighted differences between Japanese vs Chinese jiantizi and fantizi :

Transwiki:List of Chinese exonyms for places in Japan