barbarian territory; uncivilized land
Archaic term used in classical Chinese-influenced texts to refer to lands inhabited by non-Han peoples, often with a pejorative connotation. Not used in modern Japanese outside historical or literary contexts.
In ancient Chinese texts, the lands of the northern nomads were called '胡地'.
From Chinese 胡地 (húdì), composed of 胡 (hú, 'non-Han peoples of the north and west') and 地 (dì, 'land'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term entered Japanese through classical Chinese texts.