印度

A transcription of an exonym for India during the Tang dynasty.

Introduced by Xuanzang (a Chinese Buddhist monk who had travelled to India) in his book The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions [646 CE], Xuanzang proposed that this “correct” name be used, in preference to the many other alternative names for India:

詳夫天竺之稱，異議糾紛，舊云身毒，或曰賢豆，今從正音，宜云印度。 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]

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详夫天竺之称，异议纠纷，旧云身毒，或曰贤豆，今从正音，宜云印度。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Xuanzang, Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, 646 CE

Xiáng fú Tiānzhú zhī chēng, yìyì jiūfēn, jiù yún Juāndú, huò yuē Xiándòu, jīn cóng zhèngyīn, yí yún Yìndù. [Pinyin]

When looking closely at the names for India (in the records), one finds that there are many different versions: formerly it was called Juandu, or Xiandou; but now (we should) follow the correct pronunciation, and adopt the name Yindu.

This Tang-dynasty transcription reflected a source form of *In-du or *In-dak, although the source language is unclear. It is unlikely to be an endonym used by the Indians, who ― as Xuanzang described ― used the names of the local states. Later in the same passage, Xuanzang explained the name Yin-du as one of the many names for “Moon” (in India), evidently referring to the Sanskrit word इन्दु (indu, “Moon”). Xuanzang also explained that:

言諸群生輪迴不息……因而譬月。良以其土聖賢繼軌，導凡御物，如月照臨。 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]

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言诸群生轮回不息……因而譬月。良以其土圣贤继轨，导凡御物，如月照临。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Xuanzang, Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, 646 CE

Yán zhū qúnshēng lúnhuí bùxī...... Yīn'ér pì yuè. Liáng yǐ qí tǔ shèngxián jì guǐ, dǎo fán yù wù, rú yuè zhàolín. [Pinyin]

The Moon was a symbolism for endless transmigrations of all beings, and […] the name for India was derived from “Moon”, since the land of India featured a succession of sages and prophets who provided guidance to the common people and things, like the moonlight.

Although now deemed etymologically unsound, this was likely suggesting that the transcription Yin-du was a phono-semantic matching, to be interpreted literally as “trace (印) + transmigration (度)”.

The source language for this borrowing is unclear. The glottal-stop initial of the first syllable in this term is unusual; it is also reflected in 印特伽 (MC ʔiɪn^H dək̚ ɡɨɑ), the Kuchean name for “India” recorded in Song Gaoseng Zhuan [988 CE]. On the basis of this, Wang et al. (2011: 8–9) proposed that Yin-du was borrowed from Tocharian B; compare Tocharian B yentuke (“Indian”), with a similar phonological shape.

印度

1. India

   印度商人  ―  Yìndù shāngrén  ―  Indian merchants

• 印 (Yìn) (abbreviation)
• 天竺 (Tiānzhú) (archaic)
• 身毒 (Juāndú) (obsolete)
• 賢豆／贤豆 (Xiándòu) (obsolete)

from Middle Chinese 印度 (MC ʔiɪn^H duo^H).

印度 (katakana インド, rōmaji Indo)

1. Rare spelling of インド. (abbr. 印 (​In))

印度 • (Indo) (hangeul 인도)

1. Hanja form^? of 인도 (“India”).

印度

1. Hán tự form of Ấn Độ (“India”).