<p>The short answer: because Sun Yat-sen proclaimed it so. In a <a href="http://sunology.culture.tw/cgi-bin/gs32/s1gsweb.cgi?o=dcorpus&amp;s=id=%22SP0000000706%22.&amp;searchmode=basic" rel="noreferrer">1916 speech</a> given in Shanghai, he asks the question:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>何以不曰「中華共和國」，而必曰「中華民國」？</p>
  
  <p>Why instead of 中華共和國, must one say 中華民國?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The reasons he gives boil down to drawing a distinction centred on the 民: saying that this is the fundamental difference between Qing dynasty feudalism and the Ancient Greek republic (and by extension, modern China). </p>

<p>Although 共和 carries the idea of the <em>res publica</em> of Latin, he acknowledges this, and proceeds to give 民 greater importance.</p>

<p>As of early 2019, the <a href="https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E6%B0%91%E5%9B%BD-%E5%85%B1%E5%92%8C%E5%9B%BD.2017769/" rel="noreferrer">only states</a> to officially use 民國 are the Republic of China and the Republic of Korea. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-17T14:47:17.377Z
Thanks! Somehow the meaning of "民國" is lost in its official English translation.
Zuriel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-17T14:21:05.760Z
2019-01-17T14:21:05.760Z
Michaelyus
<p>民国 and 共和国 mean exactly the same. However, nowadays we prefer 共和国 to 民国 as the translation of “republic”.</p>

<hr>

<h2>Etymologies (word origins)</h2>

<p>The native Chinese term 民国 is actually a mimicked term from 王国 and 帝国.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>王国 “king’s state”, i.e. kingdom</p>
  
  <p>帝国 “emperor’s state”, i.e. empire</p>
  
  <p>民国 “people’s state”, i.e. republic</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The Japano-Chinese term 共和国 is a Chinese term borrowed from the Japanese term 共和国 (きょうわこく), which means “gonghe state”. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonghe_Regency" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Gonghe Regency</a> (西周共和时期) was an interregnum period in Chinese history from 841 BC to 828 BC, and China had some similarities to a republican state during that period. As a result, “gonghe state” is modernly used to refer to a republican state.</p>

<p>To sum up, 民国 and 共和国 mean exactly the same.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-17T16:44:33.303Z
2019-01-17T17:27:57.993Z
2019-01-17T17:27:57.993Z
Victor
<p>According to google translate and other dictionaries, "republic" means "共和國" in Chinese.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-17T13:42:19.547Z
Historical reason:the name 中华民国 preceded its English translation in time.
Toosky Hierot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-17T13:59:47.700Z
@TooskyHierot, when 中華民國 was established, I imagine its official English translation is (at least should be) also determined.
Zuriel
<translation><terminology><place-names>
Why 中華民國 = Republic of China?
# Why 中華民國 = Republic of China?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-17)

According to google translate and other dictionaries, "republic" means "共和國" in Chinese.

**Tags:** translation, terminology, place-names
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Historical reason:the name 中华民国 preceded its English translation in time.  
> **username_0**: @TooskyHierot, when 中華民國 was established, I imagine its official English translation is (at least should be) also determined.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-01-17. Score: 8

The short answer: because Sun Yat-sen proclaimed it so. In a [1916 speech](http://sunology.culture.tw/cgi-bin/gs32/s1gsweb.cgi?o=dcorpus&s=id=%22SP0000000706%22.&searchmode=basic) given in Shanghai, he asks the question:

> 何以不曰「中華共和國」，而必曰「中華民國」？
>
> Why instead of 中華共和國, must one say 中華民國?

The reasons he gives boil down to drawing a distinction centred on the 民: saying that this is the fundamental difference between Qing dynasty feudalism and the Ancient Greek republic (and by extension, modern China).

Although 共和 carries the idea of the *res publica* of Latin, he acknowledges this, and proceeds to give 民 greater importance.

As of early 2019, the [only states](https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E6%B0%91%E5%9B%BD-%E5%85%B1%E5%92%8C%E5%9B%BD.2017769/) to officially use 民國 are the Republic of China and the Republic of Korea.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks! Somehow the meaning of "民國" is lost in its official English translation.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-01-17. Score: 3

民国 and 共和国 mean exactly the same. However, nowadays we prefer 共和国 to 民国 as the translation of “republic”.

---

## Etymologies (word origins)

The native Chinese term 民国 is actually a mimicked term from 王国 and 帝国.

> 王国 “king’s state”, i.e. kingdom
>
> 帝国 “emperor’s state”, i.e. empire
>
> 民国 “people’s state”, i.e. republic

The Japano-Chinese term 共和国 is a Chinese term borrowed from the Japanese term 共和国 (きょうわこく), which means “gonghe state”. The [Gonghe Regency](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonghe_Regency) (西周共和时期) was an interregnum period in Chinese history from 841 BC to 828 BC, and China had some similarities to a republican state during that period. As a result, “gonghe state” is modernly used to refer to a republican state.

To sum up, 民国 and 共和国 mean exactly the same.


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