<p>They're both transcriptions of foreign language names.</p>
<ul>
<li>瑞士 (~<strong>shì</strong>) is an approximation of <em>Swi<strong>ss</strong></em>, the adjective form of <em>Switzerland</em>;</li>
<li>瑞典 (~<strong>diǎn</strong>) is an approximation of <em>Swe<strong>den</strong></em>.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p>Note that the first character was originally pronounced as an old Mandarin equivalent of <strong>shuì</strong>. Although you're not supposed to pronounce it as such, <strong>Shuìshì</strong> would be a rather close approximation of <em>Swiss</em>. See <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/34824/how-was-switzerland-transliterated-into-chinese">How was Switzerland transliterated into Chinese?</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-19T06:05:33.517Z
It is vastly more likely to be a transliteration of the French noun Suisse than the English adjective Swiss.
Brian Chandler
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-19T06:09:55.533Z
@BrianChandler Yes, I skipped a few extraneous details and maybe portrayed it too simplistically to the point of being slightly wrong. The direct origin is like from French *Suisse*, but English *Swiss* also came from French *Suisse*.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-18T00:41:07.340Z
2024-11-18T00:41:07.340Z
dROOOze
<p>I'm not sure if it helps since I'm coming from studying Japanese, but 士 looks very similar to 土 which I know as soil, earth. So I would remember that SwitzerLAND ends in a character that looks like one that means land. (As long as that doesn't cause you to get 士 and 土 mixed up -- they only look similar!)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-18T21:30:22.233Z
2024-11-18T21:30:22.233Z
Linda Fitzpatrick
<p>If you want a &quot;botched&quot; Chinglish mnemonic, how about, Sweden is &quot;Radiant&quot; and the Swiss are &quot;rushers&quot;?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-18T19:57:12.920Z
2024-11-18T19:57:12.920Z
Steve Morrison
<p>I don’t know Chinese, but 士 resembles a cross, similar to the one on the Swiss flag. If you already know 瑞 it should be very easy to remember that way</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-19T15:58:14.113Z
2024-11-19T15:58:14.113Z
mullayo
<p>I get 瑞士 (Switzerland) from 瑞典 (Sweden) mixed up in Chinese, because they both start with 瑞.  Maybe you can help me...</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: What mnemonic helps differentiate 瑞士 (Switzerland) from 瑞典 (Sweden)?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-18T13:18:15.820Z
If you are just interested in the spelling, of course there is the [Swiss flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Switzerland) in 瑞士...
Stephan Kolassa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-18T18:57:01.320Z
@StephanKolassa The swedish flag also has a cross in it.
Sören
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-18T19:20:36.197Z
@Sören: but the aspect ratio is different!
Stephan Kolassa
<word><place-names>
What mnemonic helps differentiate 瑞士 (Switzerland) from 瑞典 (Sweden)?
# What mnemonic helps differentiate 瑞士 (Switzerland) from 瑞典 (Sweden)?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-11-17)

I get 瑞士 (Switzerland) from 瑞典 (Sweden) mixed up in Chinese, because they both start with 瑞. Maybe you can help me...

**Question**: What mnemonic helps differentiate 瑞士 (Switzerland) from 瑞典 (Sweden)?

**Tags:** word, place-names

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: If you are just interested in the spelling, of course there is the [Swiss flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Switzerland) in 瑞士...  
> **username_2**: @StephanKolassa The swedish flag also has a cross in it.  
> **username_1**: @username_2: but the aspect ratio is different!  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-11-18. Score: 11

They're both transcriptions of foreign language names.

* 瑞士 (~**shì**) is an approximation of *Swi**ss***, the adjective form of *Switzerland*;
* 瑞典 (~**diǎn**) is an approximation of *Swe**den***.

---

Note that the first character was originally pronounced as an old Mandarin equivalent of **shuì**. Although you're not supposed to pronounce it as such, **Shuìshì** would be a rather close approximation of *Swiss*. See [How was Switzerland transliterated into Chinese?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/34824/how-was-switzerland-transliterated-into-chinese).

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: It is vastly more likely to be a transliteration of the French noun Suisse than the English adjective Swiss.  
> **username_3**: @BrianChandler Yes, I skipped a few extraneous details and maybe portrayed it too simplistically to the point of being slightly wrong. The direct origin is like from French *Suisse*, but English *Swiss* also came from French *Suisse*.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2024-11-18. Score: 2

I'm not sure if it helps since I'm coming from studying Japanese, but 士 looks very similar to 土 which I know as soil, earth. So I would remember that SwitzerLAND ends in a character that looks like one that means land. (As long as that doesn't cause you to get 士 and 土 mixed up -- they only look similar!)


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2024-11-18. Score: 1

If you want a "botched" Chinglish mnemonic, how about, Sweden is "Radiant" and the Swiss are "rushers"?


---

### Answer by username_7 on 2024-11-19. Score: 0

I don’t know Chinese, but 士 resembles a cross, similar to the one on the Swiss flag. If you already know 瑞 it should be very easy to remember that way


---

