Why not? Why did they use the characters for grapes for Portugal? Why not?
Literal translation of Chinese characters for countries is STUPID, pure and simple. You like to go down this path as if they chose France as a Lawful country or Germans because they have morals? LOL!!! You obviously have no idea that they're all SHORTENED names as what I have mentioned earlier.
Frankly, I find the use of 'China' to describe Zhongguo a bit irritating -- China is a kitchen item made from, well, dirt. I wonder why they don't call Italians as Pizzas?
Knock it off, all of you, I am not a moderator, nor do I play one on TV, but I do know how to ping them to a thread. This is supposed to be a family forum, the name calling and !@#$%$$% swearing will get me to pull this from my children’s allow list if this stuff keeps up.
Pganini: I spent two years in Taiwan as a missionary, (Mostly around Gao Shong) I know what Bo Po Mo Fo is. There is no reason a native speaker would be well versed in Romanization.
Tallhappy: There are specific characters that are used to translate things, this is violated all the time, but that’s the way it was originally set up, it’s phonetic (Look up the original translation of Coke when it went to the mainland for some laughs)
Dr. Marten: I have lived as a foreigner in Japan, Taiwan, Visited Israel when my sister lived there, and Germany when my other sister lived there. I know what you mean about being a stranger in a strange land. That still does not excuse the tone of this thread.
Please try to have an enlightened conversation, which this forum is renowned for.
I leave you with some advice my father gave me: “You cannot change the mind with logic that was made up without the use thereof.” So if you ever feel you are answering illogical arguments, don’t, just smile and move on to other topics. (Or at least go into a private area where my children won't read it.)