中国古代典籍中的对日本称名经历了一个由以“倭”指称转为以“日本”指称的变化过程,变化的主要原因与日本方面视“倭”为“不雅”之名有关。本文在追溯考察对日称名之演变过程基础上,对古汉语中的“倭”字意味以及它当时成为对日称名的可能原因作了考论,认为“倭”称在古汉语中实际是个中性而略具褒美意味的语词,以“倭”为“不雅”之名在古汉语中并无根据。在中国古代典籍中,“倭”称真正成为“不雅”乃至贬义鲜明的特称词语是明代以后始有之现象,其背景原因则是明代时期日本方面对中国沿海地区的侵掠暴行。中国古籍对日称名由“倭”改称为“日本”反映了中国古代对日本民族的尊重和宽容,而“倭”称在古书中从一个不无褒美意味的语词转变为一个贬义鲜明的特称,则是中国古代语言文化之道义立场在对日关系方面的表现。 The name of Japan in ancient Chinese classics has undergone a process of change from the reference to “Japanese” to the reference to “Japan.” The main reason for the change is that Japan regards “Japanese” as “indecent” in its name. Based on the retrospect of the evolvement process of the name of Japanese name, this article makes a research on the meaning of “Japanese” in ancient Chinese and the possible reason why it became the name of the Japanese at that time. It holds that “Japanese” is actually a medium in ancient Chinese There is no basis in ancient Chinese to use the word “Japanese” as “indecent”. In ancient Chinese ancient books, “Japanese” claims that the term “indecent” or even pejorative distinctive is a phenomenon that began after the Ming Dynasty. The reason behind this is the Japanese atrocities and atrocities against China’s coastal areas in the Ming Dynasty. The name of ancient Chinese books dating back to Japan was changed from “Japanese” to “Japanese” to reflect the respect and tolerance of ancient Chinese nation toward Japan, and “Japanese” is said to have changed from an unvoiced and beautiful-looking language in the ancient books to a peculiarly derogatory term , It is the performance of the moral stand of ancient Chinese language and culture in the relations with Japan.