Thoughts about different Chinese words

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A place to mostly post my musings about different Chinese words

中华人民共和国
Zhong1 hua2 ren2 min2 gong4 he2 guo2

China People Republic (known in English as china)

中华民国
Zhong1 hua2 min2 guo2

China Republic (known in English as Taiwan)

First, china is referred to in both contexts as Zhong hua instead of Zhong guo - which denotes a larger meaning referring to all of Chinese civilization/people rather than a single entity/country

Hua2 meaning something like flourishing, or civilization - with Guo2 meaning country

Also note the two different terms for Republics
共和国 and 民国

This reflects an evolution in the Chinese language, and most republics are referred to by 共和国 rather than 民国 with the exception of Korea

 

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烟花 yan1 hua1

Lit, smoke flower

Translation, fireworks

Yan1 has fire in its character which hints at smoke
Hua1 has grass at its top to signify a plant

The name comes from the appearance of fireworks being similar to flowers

七月四号你会放烟花吗? Will you light fireworks on the 4th of July?