The Chinese people have several names for their own country, but the official name is 中国 (Zhōngguó), which means "middle kingdom" or "central kingdom". This name is based on the traditional view that China is the center of the civilized world surrounded by barbarians. Other names for China include 中华 (Zhōnghuá), which means "central beauty", 华夏 (Huáxià), which means "beautiful grandness", and 神州 (Shénzhōu), which means "divine state". The name "China" was borrowed from Portuguese during the 16th century and became common in the subsequent centuries in the West. The character 中 (Zhōng) in 中国 means "middle," while the character 国 (guó) means "the land in our boundaries".