Nanjing is the name of a major city in eastern China, the capital of Jiangsu Province. Its name literally means 'Southern Capital' — 南 (Nán) means 'south', and 京 (Jīng) means 'capital' or 'metropolitan center'. Historically, Nanjing served as the capital for several Chinese dynasties, including the early Ming Dynasty, and it remains one of China’s Four Great Ancient Capitals. The name reflects its geographic and political role relative to other imperial capitals like Beijing ('Northern Capital').

Today, Nanjing is a modern metropolis known for its rich history, universities, scenic lakes (like Xuanwu Lake), and landmarks such as the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and the Nanjing City Wall. It's commonly used as a proper noun referring exclusively to this city — never as a generic term for 'southern capital' in contemporary speech. Pronunciation is Nán Jīng, with the first tone on both syllables.