Cathay (/kæˈθeɪ/) is the Anglicized rendering of "Catai" and an alternative name for China in English. It originates from the word Khitan[1](Chinese: 契丹; pinyin: Qìdān), the name of a nomadic people who founded the Liao dynasty which ruled much of Northern China from 907 to 1125, and who later migrated west after they were overthrown by the Jurchens to form the Qara Khitai centered on today's Kyrgyzstan for another century thereafter.
Originally, Catai was the name applied by Central and Western Asians and Europeans to northern China; the name was also used in Marco Polo's book on his travels in China (he referred to southern China as Mangi).
Mongolian/Classical Mongolian: Khyatad (Хятад) / Qitad
Uyghur: خىتاي, Xitay
Persian: ختای, khatāy
Kyrgyz: Кытай, Kytai
Kazakh: قىتاي, Қытай, Qıtay
Kazan Tatar: Qıtay
Russian: Kitay (Китай)
Ukrainian: Kytaj (Китай)
Bulgarian: Kitaj (Китай)
Uzbek: Xitoy (Хитой)
Polish: Kitaj
Slovenian: Kitajska
Medieval Latin: Cataya, Kitai
Italian: Catai
Spanish: Catay
Portuguese: Cataio or Catai
French, English, German, Dutch, Scandinavian[citation needed]: Cathay
In many Turkic and Slavic languages a form of "Cathay" (e.g., Russian: Китай, Kitay) remains the usual modern name for China.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathay
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathay_Pacific