noun
Nanjing; Nanking
The city in China. The older romanization 'Nanking' is still sometimes seen in historical contexts.
南京は中国の歴史的な都市です。
Nanjing is a historic city in China.
See also: カボチャ
関西では、かぼちゃのことを南京と呼ぶことがある。
In Kansai, pumpkin is sometimes called 南京.
noun, used as a prefix
Chinese; Southeast Asian; foreign
Prefix used in compound words to indicate something is Chinese, Southeast Asian, or foreign in origin. Often carries a slightly old-fashioned or exotic nuance.
「南京錠」の南京は、外国から来たという意味合いがある。
The 南京 in 南京錠 (padlock) carries the meaning that it came from abroad.
noun, used as a prefix
Prefix used in a few old compound words to mean something small, rare, or cute. Not productive in modern Japanese.
「南京豆」の南京は、小さくてかわいらしいものを表す古い用法です。
The 南京 in 南京豆 (peanut) is an old usage that expresses something small and cute.
Standard Japanese word for pumpkin/squash, used nationwide. 南京 is the Kansai dialect equivalent.
From Chinese 南京 (Nánjīng), the city name. The dialectal meaning 'pumpkin' likely arose because the vegetable was introduced via China. The prefix uses derive from the association with things coming from or being like Nanjing/China.