鮮卑

"Xianbei"

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Paul Pelliot (1928:141, 142) suggested this was borrowed from Xianbei *serbi ~ *särbi.^[1]

"belt hook"

Thought to be related to the Xianbei sense. Compare similar forms such as 犀比, 犀毗, 師比／师比 (shīpí), 胥紕／胥纰.

鮮卑

1. (historical) Xianbei (group of northern nomadic peoples)

   • 烏丸、鮮卑即古所謂東胡也。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     乌丸、鲜卑即古所谓东胡也。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms, circa 3^rd century CE

     Wūwán, Xiānbēi jí gǔ suǒwèi Dōnghú yě.

     The Wuhuan and Xianbei are the so-called Eastern Hu of yore.

2. a surname

• 白賊／白贼 (báizéi) (offensive, derogatory)

Others:

• → English: Xianbei
• → French: Xianbei
• → German: Xianbei
• → Portuguese: xianbei
• → Russian: сяньби́ (sjanʹbí), сяньбэ́й (sjanʹbɛ́j)
• → Spanish: xianbei
• → Ukrainian: сяньбі́ (sjanʹbí)

鮮卑

1. (obsolete) belt hook of northern non-Chinese peoples

   • 小腰秀頸，若鮮卑只。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     小腰秀颈，若鲜卑只。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE

     Xiǎo yāo xiù jǐng, ruò xiānbēi zhǐ.

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Japanese Wikipedia has an article on:

鮮卑

Wikipedia ^ja

鮮(せん)卑(ぴ) • (Senpi) 

1. Xianbei (group of northern nomadic peoples)

鮮卑 • (Seonbi) (hangeul 선비)

1. hanja form^? of 선비 (“Xianbei (group of northern nomadic peoples)”)

鮮卑

1. chữ Hán form of Tiên Ti (“Xianbei (group of northern nomadic peoples)”).