Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo all mean “capital” in their languages.
What Was Beijing Originally Called?
Beijing translates to “Northern Capital” in English. The name is derived from the Chinese characters 北 (běi) meaning “north” and 京 (jīng) meaning “capital.” Beijing was given this name during the Ming Dynasty to distinguish it as the capital of China, replacing Nanjing, the previous capital.What Does Seoul Mean in Korean?
Seoul’s history stretches back nearly 2,000 years. “Seoul” comes from the ancient Korean word Seorabeol, which means “capital city.”What do Japanese call Tokyo?
The name itself comes from two Japanese words: “tō” (meaning “east”) and “kyō” (meaning “capital”). Together they form the word Tokyo, which literally translates to “eastern capital” in English.