Free Chinese & Japanese Online Dictionary

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Key:

Mandarin Chinese information.
Old Wade-Giles romanization used only in Taiwan.
Japanese information.
Buddhist definition. Note: May not apply to all sects.
 Definition may be different outside of Buddhism.

There are 1166 total results for your ancient search. I have created 12 pages of results for you. Each page contains 100 results...

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Characters Pronunciation
Romanization
Simple Dictionary Definition

切韻


切韵

see styles
qiè yùn
    qie4 yun4
ch`ieh yün
    chieh yün
 setsuin
    せついん
see 反切[fan3 qie4]
qieyun (ancient Chinese dictionary arranged by rhyme, displaying characters' meanings and representing their pronunciation with fanqie)

刺史

see styles
cì shǐ
    ci4 shi3
tz`u shih
    tzu shih
 shishi
    しし
provincial governor (old)
(hist) governor (of an ancient Chinese province)

前古

see styles
 zenko
    ぜんこ
old times; ancient days; (surname) Zenko

前言

see styles
qián yán
    qian2 yan2
ch`ien yen
    chien yen
 zengen
    ぜんげん
preface; foreword; introduction; preamble; earlier remarks; earlier words; (literary) words of the ancient thinkers
(noun/participle) previous remarks

勝絶

see styles
 shousetsu; shouzetsu / shosetsu; shozetsu
    しょうせつ; しょうぜつ
(1) (archaism) (See 十二律,夾鐘) (in Japan) 4th note of the ancient chromatic scale (approx. F); (noun/participle) (2) (usu. しょうぜつ) excellence (of scenery, etc.)

匈奴

see styles
xiōng nú
    xiong1 nu2
hsiung nu
 kyoudo; funnu / kyodo; funnu
    きょうど; フンヌ
Xiongnu, a people of the Eastern Steppe who created an empire that flourished around the time of the Qin and Han dynasties
(hist) Xiongnu (ancient Central Asian nomadic people associated with the Huns)

北羅


北罗

see styles
běi luó
    bei3 luo2
pei lo
 kitara
    きたら
(surname) Kitara
Valabhī. Northern Lāṭa. 'An ancient kingdom and city on the Eastern coast of Gujerat.' Eitel.

南呂

see styles
 nanryo
    なんりょ
(1) (in China) (See 十二律,盤渉) 10th note of the ancient chromatic scale (approx. B); (2) eighth month of the lunar calendar

南羅


南罗

see styles
nán luó
    nan2 luo2
nan lo
 Nanra
Southern Lāra; Mālava, an ancient kingdom in Central India; head quarters of heretical in the present Malwa.

南蛮

see styles
 nanban
    なんばん
(1) (hist) (derogatory term) southern barbarians (name used in ancient China for non-Chinese ethnic groups to the south); (2) (hist) South-East Asian countries (in the late-Muromachi and Edo periods); (3) (hist) Western Europe (esp. Spain and Portugal and their South-East Asian colonies; late-Muromachi and Edo periods); (prefix noun) (4) (hist) foreign (of goods from South-East Asia and Western Europe); exotic (esp. in a Western European or South-East Asian style); (5) (See 唐辛子・1) chili pepper; (6) (abbreviation) {food} (See 南蛮煮・2) nanban; dish prepared using chili peppers and Welsh onions; (7) thrusting the right foot and right arm forward at the same time (or left foot and left arm; in kabuki, dance, puppetry, etc.)

占城

see styles
 chanpa; senjou / chanpa; senjo
    チャンパ; せんじょう
(hist) (kana only) Champa (former kingdom(surname) in central Vietnam); (place-name) (ancient Vietnamese kingdom)

占婆

see styles
zhàn pó
    zhan4 po2
chan p`o
    chan po
 chanpaa / chanpa
    チャンパー
(place-name) (ancient Vietnamese kingdom)
campaka

双調

see styles
 soujou / sojo
    そうじょう
(1) {music} (See 十二律,仲呂・1) (in Japan) 6th note of the ancient chromatic scale (approx. G); (2) {music} (See 六調子) sōjō mode (one of the six main gagaku modes)

古い

see styles
 furui
    ふるい
(adjective) old (not person); aged; ancient; antiquated; stale; threadbare; outmoded; obsolete article

古え

see styles
 inishie
    いにしえ
antiquity; ancient times

古ロ

see styles
 koro
    こロ
(abbreviation) (See 古代ローマ) ancient Rome

古事

see styles
 koji
    こじ
(1) historical event; ancient event; (2) tradition; folklore; legend; origin

古佛

see styles
gǔ fó
    gu3 fo2
ku fo
 furu botoke
ancient Buddha

古來


古来

see styles
gǔ lái
    gu3 lai2
ku lai
since ancient times; it has ever been the case that
See: 古来

古儀


古仪

see styles
gǔ yí
    gu3 yi2
ku i
 kogi
    こぎ
ancient rites; (surname) Furugi
ancient precedent

古制

see styles
 kosei / kose
    こせい
ancient establishment; ancient laws

古刹

see styles
 kosatsu
    こさつ
ancient temple

古則


古则

see styles
gǔ zé
    gu3 ze2
ku tse
 kosoku
ancient precedent

古句

see styles
 koku
    こく
ancient expression; old poem

古國


古国

see styles
gǔ guó
    gu3 guo2
ku kuo
ancient country

古城

see styles
gǔ chéng
    gu3 cheng2
ku ch`eng
    ku cheng
 kojou / kojo
    こじょう
ancient city
old castle; old fortress; (place-name) Furujiro
an ancient city

古堡

see styles
gǔ bǎo
    gu3 bao3
ku pao
ancient castle

古墳


古坟

see styles
gǔ fén
    gu3 fen2
ku fen
 kofun
    こふん
(hist) ancient burial mound; barrow; tumulus
old graves

古式

see styles
 koshiki
    こしき
old style; ancient rites

古意

see styles
 koi
    こい
ancient ways; the feelings of the ancients

古方

see styles
gǔ fāng
    gu3 fang1
ku fang
 kohou / koho
    こほう
ancient prescription
old method; (surname) Kogata

古書


古书

see styles
gǔ shū
    gu3 shu1
ku shu
 kosho
    こしょ
ancient book; old book
(1) old book; rare book; classic; (2) (See 古本・1) secondhand book; used book

古期

see styles
 koki
    こき
(prefix noun) old; ancient

古本

see styles
 furuhon(p); furubon; kohon
    ふるほん(P); ふるぼん; こほん
(1) secondhand book; (2) (こほん only) ancient book; antiquarian books; (surname) Furumoto

古来

see styles
 korai
    こらい
(adv,adj-no,n) from ancient times; from old times; from time immemorial; (surname) Fururai

古格

see styles
gǔ gé
    gu3 ge2
ku ko
 kokaku
    こかく
convention; usage; old customs; old etiquette
ancient precedent

古楽

see styles
 kogaku
    こがく
ancient (early) music

古画

see styles
 koga
    こが
ancient painting

古筝

see styles
 kosou / koso
    こそう
Guzheng (type of ancient Chinese zither)

古箏


古筝

see styles
gǔ zhēng
    gu3 zheng1
ku cheng
 kosou / koso
    こそう
guzheng (large zither with 13 to 25 strings, developed from the guqin 古琴[gu3qin2] during Tang and Song times)
Guzheng (type of ancient Chinese zither)

古籍

see styles
gǔ jí
    gu3 ji2
ku chi
 koseki
    こせき
ancient text; antique books
(surname) Koseki

古義


古义

see styles
gǔ yì
    gu3 yi4
ku i
 kogi
    こぎ
ancient meaning; original or etymological meaning of a word
old meaning; old interpretation

古老

see styles
gǔ lǎo
    gu3 lao3
ku lao
 korou / koro
    ころう
ancient; old; age-old
old people; seniors; elders; old-timer

古聖

see styles
 kosei / kose
    こせい
ancient sage

古裝


古装

see styles
gǔ zhuāng
    gu3 zhuang1
ku chuang
ancient costume; period costume (in movies etc)

古記

see styles
 koki
    こき
ancient records; (male given name) Hisanori

古詩


古诗

see styles
gǔ shī
    gu3 shi1
ku shih
 koshi
    こし
old verse; Classical Chinese poem
ancient poems

古説

see styles
 kosetsu
    こせつ
ancient belief

古諺


古谚

see styles
gǔ yàn
    gu3 yan4
ku yen
 kogen
    こげん
ancient proverb; old saying
obsolete word; old proverb

古賢

see styles
 koken
    こけん
ancient sage

古路

see styles
gǔ lù
    gu3 lu4
ku lu
 furumichi
    ふるみち
(surname) Furumichi
ancient path

古轍


古辙

see styles
gǔ zhé
    gu3 zhe2
ku che
 kotetsu
ancient precedent

古鏡


古镜

see styles
gǔ jìng
    gu3 jing4
ku ching
 kokyou / kokyo
    こきょう
(given name) Kokyō
ancient mirror

司南

see styles
sī nán
    si1 nan2
ssu nan
ancient Chinese compass

名相

see styles
míng xiàng
    ming2 xiang4
ming hsiang
 myōsō
famous prime minister (in ancient China); names and appearances (Buddhism)
Name and appearance; everything has a name, e. g. sound, or has appearance, i. e. the visible, v. 名色; both are unreal and give rise to delusion. The name under which Subhūti will be reborn as Buddha.

吳子


吴子

see styles
wú zǐ
    wu2 zi3
wu tzu
Wuzi, one of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书[Wu3 jing1 Qi1 shu1], written by Wu Qi 吳起|吴起[Wu2 Qi3]

呉越

see styles
 goetsu
    ごえつ
(hist) (See 呉・4,越・1) Wu and Yue (two rival states in ancient China); (personal name) Goetsu

呾蜜

see styles
dá mì
    da2 mi4
ta mi
 Tamitsu
Termed, or Tirmez, or Tirmidh. 'An ancient kingdom and city on the Oxus in Lat. 37° 5 N., Long. 67 ° 6 E.' Eitel.

和人

see styles
 wajin
    わじん
(archaism) you (nuance of either deep affection or contempt); (archaism) Japanese person (term esp. used in ancient China, etc.); (personal name) Wajin

和国

see styles
 wakoku
    わこく
Yamato; ancient Japan; name by which Chinese rulers used to call Japan; (place-name) Wakoku

哈密

see styles
hā mì
    ha1 mi4
ha mi
 Gōmitsu
Hami, prefecture-level city in Xinjiang
Hami, 'an ancient city and kingdom in Central Asia north-east of lake Lop in Lat. 43゜3 N., Long, 93°10 E.' Eitel. From Han to Tang times known as I-wu 伊吾, now called Kumul by Turki Mohammadans. For more than 1500 years, owing to its location and supply of water, Hami was a bridgehead for the expansion and control of the outposts of the Chinese empire in Central Asia.

唐子

see styles
 karako
    からこ
(1) boy or doll dressed in ancient Chinese clothes; (2) (hist) hairstyle inspired by a karako doll (esp. for girls; Edo period); (given name) Toushi

唐楽

see styles
 tougaku / togaku
    とうがく
(1) Tang-era Chinese music; (2) (See 雅楽,林邑楽) tōgaku; style of gagaku based on Tang-era Chinese music and ancient Indian song and dance

喝捍

see styles
hē hàn
    he1 han4
ho han
 Katsukan
Gahan, an ancient kingdom, also called 東安國, i.e. Eastern Parthia, west of Samarkand, now a district of Bukhara.

四夷

see styles
sì yí
    si4 yi2
ssu i
 shii / shi
    しい
(derogatory term) (See 東夷・あずまえびす・2,西戎・せいじゅう) Four Barbarians; derogative name for various ancient non-Chinese peoples bordering ancient China; (surname) Shii
(四夷戒 or 四夷罪) v. 四波羅夷.

四民

see styles
sì mín
    si4 min2
ssu min
 shimin
    しみん
"the four classes" of ancient China, i.e. scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants
(hist) the four social classes (of Edo-period Japan; samurai, farmers, artisans, merchants)
four classes of people

回紇


回纥

see styles
huí hé
    hui2 he2
hui ho
Huihe, ancient name of an ethnic group who were the ancestors of the Uyghurs 維吾爾族|维吾尔族[Wei2wu2er3zu2] and the Yugurs 裕固族[Yu4gu4zu2]

回鶻


回鹘

see styles
huí hú
    hui2 hu2
hui hu
 kaikotsu
    かいこつ
Huihu, ancient name of an ethnic group who were the ancestors of the Uyghurs 維吾爾族|维吾尔族[Wei2wu2er3zu2] and the Yugurs 裕固族[Yu4gu4zu2]
(obscure) Uighur; Uigur; Uygur

因明

see styles
yīn míng
    yin1 ming2
yin ming
 inmyou / inmyo
    いんみょう
(See 五明) hetuvidya (ancient Indian logic for determining right from wrong, truth from falsehood, etc.)
Hetuvidya, 醯都費陀, the science of cause, logical reasoning, logic, with its syllogistic method of the proposition, the reason, the example. The creation of this school of logic is attributed to Akṣapāda, probably a name for the philosopher Gautama (not Śākyamuni). The 因明論 or Hetu-vidyā-śāstra is one of the 五明論 pañcavidya-śāstras, a treatise explaining causality, or the nature of truth and error.

國學


国学

see styles
guó xué
    guo2 xue2
kuo hsüeh
 kokugakuin
    こくがくいん
Chinese national culture; studies of ancient Chinese civilization; the Imperial College (history)
(personal name) Kokugakuin

土雲

see styles
 tsuchigumo
    つちぐも
tsuchigumo (people of ancient Japan who were not subjects of the Yamato court)

圭璧

see styles
 keiheki / keheki
    けいへき
(archaism) ritual jades worn by feudal lords in ancient China

垓下

see styles
gāi xià
    gai1 xia4
kai hsia
 gaiga
    がいが
ancient place name, in Anhui province
(place-name) Gaixia (ancient Chinese battleground in Anhui Province)

墓道

see styles
mù dào
    mu4 dao4
mu tao
path leading to a grave; tomb passage; aisle leading to the coffin chamber of an ancient tomb

墨刑

see styles
mò xíng
    mo4 xing2
mo hsing
 bokkei; bokukei / bokke; bokuke
    ぼっけい; ぼくけい
corporal punishment consisting of carving and inking characters on the victim's forehead
(hist) (See 五刑・1) tattooing (as a form of punishment in ancient China)

墳典


坟典

see styles
fén diǎn
    fen2 dian3
fen tien
 bunten
ancient books

墳籍


坟籍

see styles
fén jí
    fen2 ji2
fen chi
 bunshaku
ancient books

士師

see styles
 shishi
    しし
(1) (hist) judge (of ancient China); (2) (hist) (See 士師記) judge (leader of ancient Israel); (surname) Hashi

夔州

see styles
kuí zhōu
    kui2 zhou1
k`uei chou
    kuei chou
Kuizhou, ancient area of modern Fengjie County 奉節縣|奉节县[Feng4 jie2 Xian4], Chongqing

多寶


多宝

see styles
duō bǎo
    duo1 bao3
to pao
 Tahō
(多寳) (多寳如來, 多寶如來) Prabhūtaratna, abundant treasures, or many jewels. The Ancient Buddha, long in nirvana, who appears in his stūpa to hear the Buddha preach the Lotus doctrine, by his presence revealing, inter alia, that nirvana is not annihilation, and that the Lotus doctrine is the Buddha-gospel; v. Lotus Sutra 寳塔品.

夜郎

see styles
yè láng
    ye4 lang2
yeh lang
 yarou / yaro
    やろう
small barbarian kingdom in southern China during the Han dynasty
(place-name) Yelang (China) (ancient state in western Guizhou province)

大倭

see styles
 yamato
    やまと
(1) Japan; (2) Yamato; ancient province corresponding to modern-day Nara Prefecture; (surname) Yamato

大呂

see styles
 tairyo; tairo
    たいりょ; たいろ
(1) {music} (See 十二律,断吟) second note of the ancient Chinese chromatic scale (approx. D sharp); (2) twelfth lunar month; (place-name, surname) Ooro

大夏

see styles
dà xià
    da4 xia4
ta hsia
 haruka
    はるか
Han Chinese name for an ancient Central Asia country
(female given name) Haruka

大宛

see styles
dà yuān
    da4 yuan1
ta yüan
ancient state of central Asia

大橋


大桥

see styles
dà qiáo
    da4 qiao2
ta ch`iao
    ta chiao
 oohashi
    おおはし
Da Qiao, one of the Two Qiaos, according to Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义[San1 guo2 Yan3 yi4], the two great beauties of ancient China
large bridge; big bridge; (surname) Kiohashi

大簇

see styles
 taizoku
    たいぞく
    taisou / taiso
    たいそう
(1) (in China) 3rd note of the ancient chromatic scale (approx. E); (2) first lunar month

天帝

see styles
tiān dì
    tian1 di4
t`ien ti
    tien ti
 tentei / tente
    てんてい
God of heaven; Celestial emperor
(1) Shangdi (supreme deity in ancient Chinese religion); (2) {Christn} God; (3) {Buddh} (See 帝釈天・たいしゃくてん) Shakra (king of heaven in Hindu mythology); Indra
King, or emperor of Heaven, i. e. 因陀羅 Indra, i. e. 釋 (釋迦); 釋迦婆; 帝 (帝釋); Śakra, king of the devaloka 忉利天, one of the ancient gods of India, the god of the sky who fights the demons with his vajra, or thunderbolt. He is inferior to the trimūrti, Brahma, Viṣṇu, and Śiva, having taken the place of Varuṇa, or sky. Buddhism adopted him as its defender, though, like all the gods, he is considered inferior to a Buddha or any who have attained bodhi. His wife is Indrāṇī.

太保

see styles
tài bǎo
    tai4 bao3
t`ai pao
    tai pao
 taibao
    タイバオ
a very high official in ancient China; juvenile delinquents
(1) Grand Protector (lowest of the top three civil positions of the Zhou Dynasty); (2) Minister of the Right (official in Nara and Heian periods); (place-name) Taibao (Taiwan)

太古

see styles
tài gǔ
    tai4 gu3
t`ai ku
    tai ku
 taiko
    たいこ
immemorial
(noun - becomes adjective with の) ancient times; prehistoric times; (surname) Tako
Taego

太學


太学

see styles
tài xué
    tai4 xue2
t`ai hsüeh
    tai hsüeh
Imperial College of Supreme Learning, established in 124 BC, and the highest educational institute in ancient China until the Sui Dynasty

太牢

see styles
tài láo
    tai4 lao2
t`ai lao
    tai lao
(in ancient times) sacrificial animal (cow, sheep or pig)

太簇

see styles
 taizoku
    たいぞく
    taisou / taiso
    たいそう
(1) (in China) 3rd note of the ancient chromatic scale (approx. E); (2) first lunar month

夫餘


夫余

see styles
fū yú
    fu1 yu2
fu yü
Pu'yo, Korean Buyeo (c. 200 BC-494 AD), ancient kingdom in northeast frontier region of China

夷則

see styles
 isoku
    いそく
(1) (See 十二律,鸞鏡) (in China) 9th note of the ancient chromatic scale (approx. A sharp); (2) seventh lunar month

夷曲

see styles
 hinaburi
    ひなぶり
(1) appearing rustic; (2) ancient song played at the court; (3) comical tanka

夷洲

see styles
yí zhōu
    yi2 zhou1
i chou
name of an ancient barbarian country, possibly Taiwan

夷狄

see styles
yí dí
    yi2 di2
i ti
 iteki
    いてき
non-Han tribes in the east and north of ancient China; barbarians
barbarians; aliens
barbarian tribes

夷陵

see styles
yí líng
    yi2 ling2
i ling
Yiling, ancient name of Yichang 宜昌[Yi2 chang1]; Yiling, a district of Yichang city 宜昌市[Yi2 chang1 shi4], Hubei

夾鐘

see styles
 kyoushou / kyosho
    きょうしょう
(1) (See 十二律,勝絶) (in China) 4th note of the ancient chromatic scale (approx. F); (2) second lunar month

Entries with 2nd row of characters: The 2nd row is Simplified Chinese.

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This page contains 100 results for "ancient" in Chinese and/or Japanese.



Information about this dictionary:

Apparently, we were the first ones who were crazy enough to think that western people might want a combined Chinese, Japanese, and Buddhist dictionary.

A lot of westerners can't tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese - and there is a reason for that. Chinese characters and even whole words were borrowed by Japan from the Chinese language in the 5th century. Much of the time, if a word or character is used in both languages, it will have the same or a similar meaning. However, this is not always true. Language evolves, and meanings independently change in each language.

Example: The Chinese character 湯 for soup (hot water) has come to mean bath (hot water) in Japanese. They have the same root meaning of "hot water", but a 湯屋 sign on a bathhouse in Japan would lead a Chinese person to think it was a "soup house" or a place to get a bowl of soup. See this: Japanese Bath House

This dictionary uses the EDICT and CC-CEDICT dictionary files.
EDICT data is the property of the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, and is used in conformance with the Group's license.

Chinese Buddhist terms come from Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms by William Edward Soothill and Lewis Hodous. This is commonly referred to as "Soothill's'". It was first published in 1937 (and is now off copyright so we can use it here). Some of these definitions may be misleading, incomplete, or dated, but 95% of it is good information. Every professor who teaches Buddhism or Eastern Religion has a copy of this on their bookshelf. We incorporated these 16,850 entries into our dictionary database ourselves (it was lot of work).



Combined, these cover 1,007,753 Japanese, Chinese, and Buddhist characters, words, idioms, names, placenames, and short phrases.

Just because a word appears here does not mean it is appropriate for a tattoo, your business name, etc. Please consult a professional before doing anything stupid with this data.

We do offer Chinese and Japanese Tattoo Services. We'll also be happy to help you translate something for other purposes.

No warranty as to the correctness, potential vulgarity, or clarity is expressed or implied. We did not write any of these definitions (though we occasionally act as a contributor/editor to the CC-CEDICT project). You are using this dictionary for free, and you get what you pay for.

The following titles are just to help people who are searching for an Asian dictionary to find this page.

Japanese Kanji Dictionary

Free Asian Dictionary

Chinese Kanji Dictionary

Chinese Words Dictionary

Chinese Language Dictionary

Japanese Chinese Dictionary