noun, noun, used as a prefix
China; foreign lands
Archaic noun and prefix. Historically referred to China (Tang dynasty), but could also denote Korea or other foreign countries. Now mainly found in old texts, historical terms, or set expressions like 唐揚げ (though the kanji is often 唐揚げ or から揚げ).
昔、日本は唐から多くの文化を取り入れた。
Long ago, Japan adopted many cultural elements from China.
「唐」という字は、古い文書で外国を指すのに使われた。
The character 唐 was used in old documents to refer to foreign countries.
Derived from the name of the Tang dynasty (唐朝), which had extensive cultural exchange with Japan. The term broadened to refer to China in general and sometimes to foreign countries. The exact historical extension to Korea and other lands is uncertain.