BC

See also b.c.

English

Initialism

Wikipedia

BC or B.C.

1. Before Christ. Often written in small caps.

   The Han Dynasty ruled China from 206 BC to AD 220.

2. British Columbia, a Canadian province.
3. Baja California, a Mexican state.
4. birth control

Usage notes

• The Chicago Manual of Style as well as most house styles require placing the AD before the number of the year and BC after, although in casual use either can be found following the year.

Synonyms

• (before Christ): b.c., BCE

Antonyms

• (before Christ): a.d., AD, A.D., anno Domini, Anno Domini, CE, Common Era, in the year of our Lord

Translations

before Christ

• Asturian: edC (ast)
• Catalan: aC (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 公元前 (cmn) (gōngyuánqián)

• Dutch: v. Chr. (voor Christus)
• Esperanto: a.K. (eo)
• Finnish: eKr. (ennen Kristusta)
• French: av. JC (avant Jésus-Christ)
• German: v. Chr. (de) (vor Christus (de))
• Greek: π.Χ. (el) (p.Ch.) (προ Χριστού (el) (pro Christoú))
• Hebrew: לפנה״ס (he)
• Hungarian: Kr. e. (Krisztus elött)

• Italian: a.C. (avanti Cristo)
• Japanese: 紀元前 (ja) (きげんぜん, kigenzen)
• Latin: a.C.n. (ante Christum natum)
• Macedonian: п.н.е. (пред нашата ера)
• Malay: SM (Sebelum Masihi)
• Polish: p.n.e. (przed naszą erą)
• Portuguese: AC (antes de Cristo)
• Russian: до нашей эры (ru) (do nášej éry)  (abbr. до н. э. (ru) (do n. e.)), до Рождества Христова (ru) (do Roždestvá Xristóva)  (abbr. до Р. Хр. (ru) (do R. Xr.))
• Spanish: a. de J.C., antes de Jesucristo
• Swedish: f.Kr (sv) (före Kristus)

Derived terms

• BCer

Abbreviation

BC

1. British Columbia, a province of Canada.
2. (US, navy) battlecruiser, a type of warship.

bc

1. basso continuo, a musical term used primarily in the Baroque period.

Anagrams

• CB