賢豆

Chinese

		phonetic
trad. (賢豆)		賢	豆
simp. (贤豆)		贤	豆

Etymology

An old name for “India”, attested in Xu Gaosengzhuan (續高僧傳, Further Biographies of the Eminent Monks) [645 CE]. Borrowed from Middle Persian; compare Old Persian 𐏃𐎡𐎯𐎢𐏁 (hiⁿduš).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): Xiándòu

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄢˊ ㄉㄡˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jin⁴ dau⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Xiándòu
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄢˊ ㄉㄡˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Siándòu
    • Wade–Giles: Hsien²-tou⁴
    • Yale: Syán-dòu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Shyandow
    • Palladius: Сяньдоу (Sjanʹdou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ɛn³⁵ toʊ̯⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: jin⁴ dau⁶
    • Yale: yìhn dauh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jin⁴ dau⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: yin⁴ deo⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiːn²¹ tɐu̯²²/

---

• Middle Chinese: hen duwH

Rime
Character	賢	豆
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	匣 (33)	定 (7)
Final (韻)	先 (85)	侯 (137)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open
Division (等)	IV	I
Fanqie	胡田切	田候切
Baxter	hen	duwH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦen/	/dəuH/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦen/	/dəuH/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣɛn/	/dəuH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦɛn/	/dəwH/
Li Rong	/ɣen/	/duH/
Wang Li	/ɣien/	/dəuH/
Bernard Karlgren	/ɣien/	/dʱə̯uH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xián	dòu
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jin4	dau6

Proper noun

賢豆

1. (obsolete) India

   • 詳夫天竺之稱，異議糾紛，舊云身毒，或曰賢豆，今從正音，宜云印度。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     详夫天竺之称，异议纠纷，旧云身毒，或曰贤豆，今从正音，宜云印度。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xuanzang, Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, 646 CE

     Xiáng fú Tiānzhú zhī chēng, yìyì jiūfēn, jiù yún Juāndú, huò yuē Xiándòu, jīn cóng zhèngyīn, yí yún Yìndù. [Pinyin]

     When looking closely at the names for India (in the records), one finds that there are many different versions: formerly it was called Juandu, or Xiandou; but now (we should) follow the correct pronunciation, and adopt the name Yindu.