Bei·jing (b??j?ng?) also Pe·king (p??k?ng?, p??-) The capital of China, in the northeast part of the country. It served as Kublai Khan’s capital (13th century) and the capital of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1421-1911). From 1928 to 1949 it was known as Peiping. It is a major commercial and industrial center and the political, educational, and cultural center of the country.Usage Note: Although some people pronounce the capital of China as (b??zh?ng?), with a (zh) sound in place of the (j) sound, the pronunciation with the (j) sound is a much better approximation of the Chinese pronunciation. In fact, most people who speak Chinese would consider the (zh) pronunciation to be incorrect.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.Beijing (?be??d???) n (Placename) the capital of the People’s Republic of China, in the northeast in Beijing municipality (traditionally in Hebei province); the country’s second largest city: dates back to the 12th century bc; consists of two central walled cities, the Outer City (containing the commercial quarter) and the Inner City, which contains the Imperial City, within which is the Purple or Forbidden City; many universities. Pop: 10 849 000 (2005 est). Former English name: Peking Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014Bei?jing (?be??d???) also Peking n. a city in and the capital of the People’s Republic of China, in the NE part, in central Hebei province. 7,000,000. Formerly (1928?49), Peiping. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.