Three Kingdoms

proper noun

The tripartite division of China between the states of Wei (魏 (Wèi)), Shu (蜀 (Shǔ)), and Wu (吳／吴 (Wú)), during AD 220–280, following the Han dynasty and preceding the Jin dynasty.

OriginChinese 三國 /三国 →
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Meanings

proper nounthe Three Kingdoms pl (plural only)
  1. historicalpluralplural onlyThe tripartite division of China between the states of Wei (魏 (Wèi)), Shu (蜀 (Shǔ)), and Wu (吳／吴 (Wú)), during AD 220–280, following the Han dynasty and preceding the Jin dynasty.

    I deeply regretted having to miss seeing Hsing-ping, a very old town built by the ruler of the Wu Kingdom in the Three Kingdoms period of the third century.

    1977, Yee Chiang, “Kuei-lin and Yang-shuo”, in China Revisited, New York: W. W. Norton & Company, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 155
  2. historicalpluralplural onlyThe tripartite division of Korea between the kingdoms of Goguryeo (고구려(高句麗) (goguryeo)), Baekje (백제(百濟) (baekje)), and Silla (신라(新羅) (silla)), around 57 BC to AD 668, prior to its unification under Silla.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
china

Origin

  1. Chinese三國 /三国
  2. EnglishThree Kingdoms

Calque of Chinese 三國 /三国 (Sānguó).

More words from Chinese

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 三國 /三国
  • 三國 /三国 (Sānguó)historical tripartite division of China
French Trois Royaumes
  • Trois Royaumeshistorical tripartite division of China
Hebrew שלוש הממלכות
  • שלוש הממלכותhistorical tripartite division of China
Japanese 三國, 三国
  • 三國 (Sangoku)historical tripartite division of China
  • 三国 (Sangoku)historical tripartite division of China
Korean 삼국
  • 삼국 (samguk)historical tripartite division of China
Malay Tiga Kerajaan
  • Tiga Kerajaanhistorical tripartite division of China
Russian эпоха Троецарствия
  • эпоха Троецарствия (epoxa Trojecarstvija)historical tripartite division of China
Thai สามก๊ก
  • สามก๊ก (sǎam-gók)historical tripartite division of China
Vietnamese Tam Quốc
  • Tam Quốchistorical tripartite division of China
Cite this entry
APA

Three Kingdoms. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Three%20Kingdoms

MLA

“Three Kingdoms.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Three%20Kingdoms. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Three Kingdoms,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Three%20Kingdoms.

Source: Three Kingdoms on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.