▁name . ▁The ▁term ▁Zh ong gu o ▁was ▁also ▁not ▁commonly ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁name ▁for ▁China ▁until ▁quite ▁recently , ▁nor ▁did ▁it ▁mean ▁the ▁" Middle ▁Kingdom " ▁to ▁the ▁Chinese , ▁or ▁even ▁have ▁the ▁same ▁meaning ▁throughout ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁history . ▁ ▁" Z h ō ng gu ó " ▁in ▁different ▁languages ▁▁ ▁Bur m ese : ▁▁▁ ▁( liter ally : ▁The ▁Middle ' s ▁Country / State ) ▁▁ ▁( liter ally : ▁" The ▁Empire ▁of ▁the ▁Center ") ▁▁ ▁( liter ally : ▁" Middle ▁Empire " ▁or ▁" Middle ▁Real m ") ▁ ▁English : ▁Middle ▁Kingdom , ▁Central ▁Kingdom ▁▁ ▁( liter ally : ▁" The ▁State ▁of ▁the ▁Center ") ▁▁ ▁( liter ally : ▁" Middle ▁Empire ") ▁or ▁ ▁( liter ally : ▁" Middle ▁Kingdom ") ▁▁ ▁( liter ally : ▁" Middle ▁Empire ") ▁ ▁Greek : ▁ ▁( , ▁literally : ▁" Middle ▁Empire ") ▁or ▁ ▁( , ▁literally : ▁" Cent ral ▁Empire ") ▁ ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁ ▁( liter ally : ▁" Land ▁of ▁the ▁X ia , ▁The ▁Middle ▁Kingdom , ▁Great ▁Q ing ") ▁▁ ▁( liter ally : ▁" Middle ▁Empire ") ▁▁ ▁( from ▁, ▁the ▁H ok k ien ▁name ▁for ▁China ) ▁▁ ▁( liter ally : ▁" Middle ▁Empire ") ▁ ▁Japanese : ▁ ▁( ; ▁) ▁ ▁Kaz akh : ▁ ▁() ▁ ▁Korean : ▁ ▁( ; ▁) ▁ ▁Li :