“中華”是“中國(guó)”與“華夏”復(fù)合的簡(jiǎn)稱?！叭A”同“花”，喻指文化燦爛。華夏的先民建國(guó)于黃河中下游，自認(rèn)為居天下之中央，且又文化發(fā)達(dá)，所以稱“中華”。隨著華夏族為主體的多民族國(guó)家的不斷擴(kuò)張，凡所統(tǒng)轄之地，皆稱中華。在近現(xiàn)代歷史中，“中華”成為指稱中國(guó)、中國(guó)人及中國(guó)文化的一種符號(hào)。

This term is an abbreviation of the compound word formed by Zhongguo (中國(guó)) and Huaxia (華夏). Here, hua (華) also means 'flower' or 'flowery,' which was used as an analogy for a splendid culture. The ancestors of the Huaxia people established their state in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, which they thought was the center (zhong) of the world and which had a flourishing culture (hua), so the state was called Zhonghua. This multi-ethnic state, with the Huaxia people as the predominant group of its population, later began its territorial expansions, and the places where it extended to became part of Zhonghua. In modern times, Zhonghua became a term denoting China, the Chinese people, and its culture.

引例 Citation：

◎中華者，中國(guó)也。親被王教，自屬中國(guó)，衣冠威儀，習(xí)俗孝悌，居身禮義，故謂之中華。（《〈唐律疏議〉釋文》卷三）

中華即中國(guó)。自身接受了王道教化，自然就屬于中國(guó)了，穿衣戴帽有威儀，風(fēng)俗講究孝悌，立身處世追求禮義，所以稱之為“中華”。

Zhonghua refers to China. Under the wise rule of the sage king, all his subjects belong to China. They are dressed in a dignified manner, practice filial piety, love and respect the elderly, and follow moral norms in personal and social conduct. This is the country called Zhonghua. (Commentary and Explanation on Well-Known Law Cases of the Tang Dynasty)

（推薦：教育部 國(guó)家語(yǔ)委 供稿：北京外國(guó)語(yǔ)大學(xué) 外語(yǔ)教學(xué)與研究出版社）