| 匈奴 | Xiōng nú | Xiongnu, a people of the Eastern Steppe who created an empire that flourished around the time of the Qin and Han dynasties |  |
| 摩羯 | Mó jié | Capricorn (star sign) / northern people in classical times, a branch of the Huns or Xiongnu 匈奴 | |
| 单于 | chán yú | chanyu (Han Dynasty name for chiefs of Xiongnu Huns 匈奴[Xiong1 nu2]) |  |
| 蒙恬 | Méng Tián | Qin general Meng Tian (-210 BC), involved in 215 BC in fighting the Northern Xiongnu 匈奴 / and building the great wall | |
| 李广 | Lǐ Guǎng | Li Guang (-119 BC), Han dynasty general, nicknamed Flying General 飛將軍|飞将军 / and much feared by the Xiongnu 匈奴 | |
| 李陵 | Lǐ Líng | Li Ling (-74 BC), Han dynasty general whose defeat by the Xiongnu 匈奴 / in 104 BC led to a major scandal | |
| 五胡 | Wǔ hú | Five non-Han people, namely: Huns or Xiongnu 匈奴[Xiong1 nu2], Xianbei 鮮卑|鲜卑[Xian1 bei1], Jie 羯[Jie2], Di 氐[Di1], Qiang 羌[Qiang1], esp. in connection with the Sixteen Kingdoms 304-439 五胡十六國|五胡十六国[Wu3 hu2 Shi2 liu4 guo2] | |
| 阏氏 | yān zhī | formal wife of a Xiongnu chief during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) | |
| 猃狁 | Xiǎn yǔn | Zhou Dynasty term for a northern nomadic tribe later called the Xiongnu 匈奴[Xiong1 nu2] in the Qin and Han Dynasties | |
| 卫霍 | Wèi Huò | abbr. for generals Wei Qing 衛青|卫青 / and Huo Qubing 霍去病 / of Western Han 西漢|西汉[Xi1 Han4], famous for their success in quelling the Xiongnu barbarian invaders | |
