<ol>
<li><p>亞洲 (亚洲) is short for 亞細亞洲 (亚细亚洲, Asia) which can be found as early as <a href="http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E5%9D%A4%E8%BC%BF%E8%90%AC%E5%9C%8B%E5%85%A8%E5%9C%96">坤輿萬國全圖</a> published in 1602 (萬曆三十年) , mainly by Italian Jesuit priest <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matteo_Ricci">Matteo Ricci or 利瑪竇 (Lì Mǎdòu), 6 Oct 1552 - 11 May 1610</a>, who is <a href="http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%9D%A4%E8%BC%BF%E4%B8%87%E5%9B%BD%E5%85%A8%E5%9B%B3">believed</a> to coin this transliteration into Chinese characters.</p></li>
<li><p>非洲 is from 阿非利加洲 (Africa). The above <a href="http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E5%9D%A4%E8%BC%BF%E8%90%AC%E5%9C%8B%E5%85%A8%E5%9C%96">work</a>, however, gives a different name for Africa: 利未亞 (Libya) for some historical reason.</p>

<p>利未亞 is also adopted in <a href="http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E6%B5%B7%E5%9B%BD%E5%9B%BE%E5%BF%97">海國圖志</a> (<a href="http://libapps2.nus.edu.sg/sea_chinese/doc_bg/hai%20guo%20tu%20zhi/cover%20page1.htm">影印本 in National University of Singapore</a>), published in 1843 (道光二十三年), by <a href="http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E9%AD%8F%E6%BA%90_%28%E6%B8%85%E6%9C%9D%29">魏源</a>, who referenced some British geographical work.</p>

<p>But from <a href="http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E7%80%9B%E5%AF%B0%E5%BF%97%E7%95%A5">瀛寰志略</a>, published in 1849 (道光二十九年), by <a href="http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E5%BE%90%E7%BB%A7%E7%95%AC">徐繼畬</a>, we can see 阿非利加 there.</p></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-02T17:35:45.733Z
2013-10-02T17:42:30.223Z
2013-10-02T17:42:30.223Z
George
<p>亚洲 is short for 亚细亚洲 while 非洲 is short for 阿非利加洲.</p>

<p>See the article "<a href="http://qhs.mca.gov.cn/article/llyj/dmwh/200711/20071100004830.shtml" rel="noreferrer">各大洲名称由来</a>".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-20T03:47:44.263Z
2014-10-08T15:44:54.867Z
2014-10-08T15:44:54.867Z
Terry Li
<p>Why was 非 chosen for 非洲 (Africa) and 亚 chosen for 亚洲 (Asia)?</p>

<p>I can't find a particular reason to use these characters.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-20T03:42:44.333Z
+1: I have wondered the same thing. Surely they could have used similar-sounding characters with more auspicious meanings.
Alf
<meaning><place-names><proper-nouns>
Why use 非 and 亚 for continent names?
# Why use 非 and 亚 for continent names?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-01-20)

Why was 非 chosen for 非洲 (Africa) and 亚 chosen for 亚洲 (Asia)?

I can't find a particular reason to use these characters.

**Tags:** meaning, place-names, proper-nouns

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: +1: I have wondered the same thing. Surely they could have used similar-sounding characters with more auspicious meanings.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-01-20. Score: 29 | Accepted answer

亚洲 is short for 亚细亚洲 while 非洲 is short for 阿非利加洲.

See the article "[各大洲名称由来](http://qhs.mca.gov.cn/article/llyj/dmwh/200711/20071100004830.shtml)".


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### Answer by username_2 on 2013-10-02. Score: 10

1. 亞洲 (亚洲) is short for 亞細亞洲 (亚细亚洲, Asia) which can be found as early as [坤輿萬國全圖](http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E5%9D%A4%E8%BC%BF%E8%90%AC%E5%9C%8B%E5%85%A8%E5%9C%96) published in 1602 (萬曆三十年) , mainly by Italian Jesuit priest [Matteo Ricci or 利瑪竇 (Lì Mǎdòu), 6 Oct 1552 - 11 May 1610](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matteo_Ricci), who is [believed](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%9D%A4%E8%BC%BF%E4%B8%87%E5%9B%BD%E5%85%A8%E5%9B%B3) to coin this transliteration into Chinese characters.
2. 非洲 is from 阿非利加洲 (Africa). The above [work](http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E5%9D%A4%E8%BC%BF%E8%90%AC%E5%9C%8B%E5%85%A8%E5%9C%96), however, gives a different name for Africa: 利未亞 (Libya) for some historical reason.

   利未亞 is also adopted in [海國圖志](http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E6%B5%B7%E5%9B%BD%E5%9B%BE%E5%BF%97) ([影印本 in National University of Singapore](http://libapps2.nus.edu.sg/sea_chinese/doc_bg/hai%20guo%20tu%20zhi/cover%20page1.htm)), published in 1843 (道光二十三年), by [魏源](http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E9%AD%8F%E6%BA%90_%28%E6%B8%85%E6%9C%9D%29), who referenced some British geographical work.

   But from [瀛寰志略](http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E7%80%9B%E5%AF%B0%E5%BF%97%E7%95%A5), published in 1849 (道光二十九年), by [徐繼畬](http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E5%BE%90%E7%BB%A7%E7%95%AC), we can see 阿非利加 there.


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