Definition

Proper noun 1. A major city in China: Nanking (now more commonly spelled Nanjing) is a large city in eastern China, situated on the Yangtze River. 2. A historical capital: It served as the capital of China during several historical periods. 3. Site of a historical atrocity: The city is infamously known as the location of a large-scale massacre and wartime atrocities committed by the Japanese army in 1937, during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Usage Examples

• The ancient city walls of Nanking are a popular tourist attraction.
• Nanking was the capital of the Ming dynasty in the 14th century.
• The Nanking Massacre remains a deeply significant and painful event in modern Chinese history.

Advanced Usage

• "The Nanking Massacre" / "The Rape of Nanking": These are the standard historical terms referring to the war crimes committed in the city in 1937-1938.
  • Scholars continue to research and document the events of the Nanking Massacre.

Variants and Related Words

• Nanjing: The modern, standard Pinyin romanization of the city's name, which has largely replaced "Nanking" in contemporary English usage.
  • The government of Jiangsu province is located in Nanjing.
• Nankingese (archaic): An old demonym meaning a person from Nanking.

Synonyms

• Nanjing (primary modern synonym)

Notes on Usage

• "Nanking" is an older romanization. In most modern academic, journalistic, and diplomatic contexts, the name Nanjing is preferred. However, "Nanking" remains firmly attached to the historical event known as the "Nanking Massacre."

Noun

1. a city in eastern China on the Yangtze River; a former capital of China; the scene of a Japanese massacre in the 1930s