In Japanese, Saudi Arabia is usually written in katakana, but in old texts, it appears as “沙地亜剌比亜.” This form does not convey meaning but is an ateji, kanji chosen solely for sound. This article explains the background and reasons for this representation.
Why Kanji Representations of Saudi Arabia Were Used
The reason Saudi Arabia was once written in kanji lies in the tradition of transcribing foreign sounds into kanji. Before katakana became the standard for foreign words, Japanese often borrowed Chinese transcriptions. Saudi Arabia is no exception: it was represented as 沙地亜剌比亜 or 沙烏地阿拉伯, based on Chinese transliterations.
How ateji works can be seen below:
| Kanji | Sound Role | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 沙 | Sa | Represents the “Sa” of Saudi |
| 烏 | U | Adds the “U” sound |
| 地 | Ji | Corresponds to “ji” |
| 亜 | A | Represents the “A” of Arabia |
| 剌比亜 | Rabia | A rendering of “Arabia” |
| 阿拉伯 | Arab | The Chinese transliteration for “Arab” |
This shows that the kanji were not chosen for their meanings but only to approximate the sounds of “Saudi Arabia.”
The Difference Between “沙地亜剌比亜” and “沙烏地阿拉伯”
Both represent Saudi Arabia, but the variation comes from different translation routes and Chinese sources.
| Form | Reading | Features | Usage Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 沙地亜剌比亜 | Sauji Arabia | Derived from Chinese “沙地阿剌比亜” | Used in Japanese newspapers and official documents (Meiji–Showa era) |
| 沙烏地阿拉伯 | Sauji Arab | Based on Chinese “沙烏地阿拉伯” | Common in Chinese texts and translations |
Here, 亜剌比亜 and 阿拉伯 both mean “Arabia” in transliteration. Different dictionaries or references led to multiple forms coexisting in Japanese.
The Japanese Tradition of Using Kanji for Foreign Names
Saudi Arabia is part of a wider pattern in which foreign countries were written with ateji. Many examples exist:
| Kanji Form | Katakana | Original Country |
|---|---|---|
| 亜米利加 | Amerika | America |
| 英吉利 | Igirisu | England |
| 独逸 | Doitsu | Deutschland |
| 仏蘭西 | Furansu | France |
| 伊太利亜 | Itaria | Italia |
All of these are ateji created only to represent sound, unrelated to the literal meanings of the kanji. Saudi Arabia’s forms belong to the same tradition.
The Role of Chinese and the Diversity of Forms
Japanese transliterations were heavily influenced by Chinese practice. Even today, Chinese uses kanji to render foreign names, and Saudi Arabia is written as 沙特阿拉伯.
Comparison makes this clear:
| Language | Form | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese (historical) | 沙地亜剌比亜 | Sauji Arabia |
| Japanese (historical) | 沙烏地阿拉伯 | Sauji Arab |
| Chinese (modern) | 沙特阿拉伯 | Shātè Ālābó |
This demonstrates that Japanese ateji often followed Chinese transliterations, which explains why multiple variants existed in Japanese.
Key Points Foreigners Should Understand
To grasp Saudi Arabia’s kanji forms, foreigners should keep these points in mind:
| Point | Explanation |
|---|---|
| No meaning | The characters were chosen for sound, not semantics |
| Not used today | Modern Japanese always uses サウジアラビア in katakana |
| Chinese influence | Japanese forms were borrowed from Chinese transliterations |
| Useful for historical texts | Knowledge is needed to read old documents accurately |
A common mistake is to interpret the characters literally (e.g., 沙 = sand, 烏 = crow). In reality, they function only as sound symbols, not meaningful words.
What Historical Kanji Forms Reveal About Japanese
These old transcriptions show the flexibility of the Japanese language. Before katakana was widespread, people relied on familiar kanji to represent unfamiliar foreign names. This was a cultural strategy to absorb external information while using Japan’s existing writing system.
In newspapers and dictionaries of the Meiji and early Showa eras, kanji forms were widespread and often seen as more “formal.” Over time, katakana prevailed because it was simpler and more consistent, and now サウジアラビア is the standardized form.
Conclusion
“沙地亜剌比亜” and “沙烏地阿拉伯” are historical kanji transcriptions of Saudi Arabia. They carry no inherent meaning but were used to represent the sounds of the name. Multiple versions existed due to differences in Chinese influence and translation sources. Today, the katakana form is universal, but understanding these older kanji forms is valuable when reading historical Japanese texts. They also stand as evidence of how Japanese adapted foreign words through kanji before katakana became dominant.
