Jing

Jing is a pinyin romanization used for several Chinese characters and as a given name. Because multiple characters share the same pronunciation, the meaning of Jing varies by character and context. In addition to personal names, Jing also appears in many place names and surnames in Chinese-speaking communities and in the broader East Asian cultural sphere where Chinese characters are used.

One common character is 京 (jīng), meaning "capital." It is the root of several major city names, such as Beijing (Northern Capital) and Nanjing (Southern Capital), and appears in other toponyms to indicate importance. Other frequently used Jing characters include 静 (jìng), meaning quiet or calm; 景 (jǐng), meaning scenery, view, or brightness; and 精 (jīng), meaning essence, refined, or excellent. Each character contributes different shades of meaning in names, compounds, and titles.

Jing is also a surname, though relatively uncommon outside of longer Chinese surnames. As a given name, Jing appears in various compounds and can denote desirable attributes; its specific meaning depends on the chosen accompanying character. In modern contexts, Jing is used in Chinese media and literature as a syllable in both male and female names.

Outside China, Jing as a transliteration appears in East Asian contexts and in global discussions of Chinese culture and language. The term's exact reference is determined by the character intended, making disambiguation important when evaluating texts or names containing Jing.