Abstract:

Among the Bai language place names in Heqing area of Yunnan, there is a group of ancient ones with “me³³” , which can be translated into “mei (渼: ripple)” or “mei (美: beauty)”. By studying the implication of “me³³” and “mei” in the Bai-language and Chinese, the pertinence between Bai language place names with “me³³” of Yunnan Heqing and Chinese place names with “mei” of Shaanxi Huyi can be established. Furthermore, it can be deduced that that “me³³” which appears in place names in Bai, and “mei (ripple)” which is used in place names in the Guanzhong region of Shaanxi province, are paronyms, originating from the Xianbei or Diqiang language in the Wei Jin and Southern and Northern dynasties.

Key words:

Bai language, place names, me³³, Meibei