Chinese
See also: chinese
English
Men in Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing)
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Lion dancers at New York City's Chinese New Year celebration, 2015.
Etymology
From China + -ese under influence of Portuguese chinês, replacing older Chinish. Doublet of chinois. In its orientalist sense of "generically exotic, backwards, or poorly organized", sometimes a deliberate marketing strategy to increase sales, as with the German Chinese checkers. In its sense related to the orientation of stage lighting's barn doors, a racist reference to a supposed resemblance to East Asian eyes.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /t͡ʃaɪˈniːz/; (sometimes) IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃaɪniːz/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˌt͡ʃaɪˈniz/; (sometimes) IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃaɪˌniz/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -iːz
Adjective
Chinese (not generally comparable, comparative more Chinese, superlative most Chinese)
- Of, from, or related to China, particularly now the People's Republic of China.
- 1980 November 30, “Communist China's 'Pin Yin' system causes confusion among foreigners”, in Free China Weekly, volume XXI, number 47, Taipei, page 1:
- In this instance, when the Chairman of the "Accuracy in Media" spoke out strongly against the Chinese Communist system of "pin yin" spelling, he was not criticizing any bias or unreliability of news presentation but specifically the inconvenience and confusion caused by the "pin yin" spelling of Chinese names.
- China has been led by the Chinese Communist Party since 1949.
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- Of, from, or related to the people of China, particularly the Han Chinese and their culture whether in China or overseas.
- Important Chinese holidays celebrated around the world include the Chinese New Year ("Spring Festival"), Tomb Sweeping Day, and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
- 1964, Kennedy, John F., A Nation of Immigrants, Revised and Enlarged edition, Harper & Row, LCCN 64-7830, OCLC 899031989, pages 72-73:
- In the early 1870’s anti-Chinese agitation in California became organized and focused under the leadership of Denis Kearney, who was, ironically, an immigrant from Ireland. A campaign of organized violence against Chinese communities took form, and the hysteria led to political pressure too violent to be resisted. President Hayes vetoed an act of Congress restricting Chinese immigration, but he did force renegotiation of the Burlingame Treaty under which the government of China agreed to restrict emigration voluntarily.
- Of, from, or related to a language native to Han Chinese persons, often used generally of Chinese characters or particularly to refer to Standard Mandarin.
- 1928, Otto Jespersen, An International Language, page 82:
- The construction of a verbal system which is fairly regular and at the same time based on existing languages is a most difficult task, because in no other domain of the grammar do languages retain a greater number of ancient irregularities and differ more fundamentally from one another. Still an attempt will be made here to conciliate the two points of view and to bring about something which resembles the simple Chinese grammar without, however, losing its European character or the power of expressing nuances to which we are accustomed in our own languages.
- There are four Chinese tones... five, if you count the neutral one.
- 1928, Otto Jespersen, An International Language, page 82:
- (in phrases, sometimes offensive) As exotic, unusual, backwards, or unorganized as someone or something from China.
- It's all Chinese to me.
- (of film and video lighting, offensive, dated) Having barn doors with a horizontal orientation.
- Coordinate term: English
Synonyms
- (of China, its language or people): Sinic, Sino- (prefix)
Derived terms
- Chinese abacus
- Chinese ace
- Chinese alchemy
- Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis)
- Chinese American
- Chinese angelica (Angelica sinensis)
- Chinese angelica tree (Aralia chinensis)
- Chinese anise (Illicium verum)
- Chinese arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis)
- Chinese Army technique
- Chinese artichoke (Stachys affinis)
- Chinese aster (China aster, Callistephus chinensis)
- Chinese auction
- Chinese auricular therapy
- Chinese Australian
- Chinese-balance
- Chinese bamboo partridge (Bambusicola thoracicus)
- Chinese bamboo torture
- Chinese banyan (Ficus microcarpa)
- Chinese barbecue sauce
- Chinese BASIC
- Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra ⇒ Morella rubra)
- Chinese bellflower (Platycodon grandiflorus)
- Chinese bird spider (Haplopelma)
- Chinese blackjack
- Chinese black mushroom (Lentinula edodes)
- Chinese block
- Chinese blue
- Chinese boxes
- Chinese Brazilian
- Chinese British
- Chinese Briton
- Chinese broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra)
- Chinese brown sauce
- Chinese burn
- Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa varieties)
- Chinese calendar
- Chinese Cambodian
- Chinese Canadian
- Chinese canonical texts
- Chinese-capstan
- Chinese catfish (Clarias fuscus)
- Chinese Cayman Islander
- Chinese cedar (Toona sinensis)
- Chinese celery (Apium graveolens var. secalinum)
- Chinese celery cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis)
- Chinese character
- Chinese character encoding
- Chinese chard (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis)
- Chinese checkers, Chinese chequers
- Chinese cherry (Prunus spp.)
- Chinese chess
- Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima)
- Chinese chicken salad
- Chinese chikwando
- Chinese Chippendale
- Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum)
- Chinese cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia)
- Chinese classic texts
- Chinese copy
- Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis)
- Chinese crab (Malus prunifolia)
- Chinese crescent
- Chinese Crested
- Chinese Crested Dog
- Chinese crested tern (Thalasseus bernsteini)
- Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus)
- Chinese Cuban
- Chinese cucumber (Trichosanthes kirilowii)
- Chinese cut
- Chinese date (Ziziphus jujuba)
- Chinese deity
- Chinese desert cat (Felis bieti)
- Chinese dormouse (Chaetocauda sichuanensis)
- Chinese dragon
- Chinese egg gooseberry (Actinidia coriacea)
- Chinese egg noodles
- Chinese eggplant (Solanum melongena varieties)
- Chinese egret (Egretta eulophotes)
- Chinese eight-ball
- Chinese elder (Sambucus javanica)
- Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
- Chinese Empire
- Chinese energetic technique
- Chinese English pidgin
- Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema)
- Chinese evergreen magnolia (Magnolia delavayi)
- Chinese exclusion
- Chinese export porcelain
- Chinese-eyed
- Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis)
- Chinese farmer
- Chinese federalism
- Chinese fighting stick
- Chinese figwort (Scrophularia ningpoensis)
- Chinese Filipino
- Chinese finger cuffs
- Chinese finger prison
- Chinese finger trap
- Chinese fire
- Chinese fire belly newt (Cynops orientalis ⇒ Hypselotriton orientalis)
- Chinese fire drill
- Chinese firepot
- Chinese firewall
- Chinese fishing nets
- Chinese five spice
- Chinese five-spice powder
- Chinese flycatcher (Ficedula elisae)
- Chinese food therapy
- Chinese forget-me-not (Cynoglossum amabile)
- Chinese fried rice
- Chinese frog
- Chinese fuseki
- Chinese gall (Rhus chinensis)
- Chinese garden
- Chinese gelatin, Chinese gelatine
- Chinese geomancy
- Chinese ginger (Boesenbergia rotunda)
- Chinese glue
- Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis)
- Chinese gong
- Chinese goose (Anser cygnoides)
- Chinese gooseberry (Actinidia spp., esp. Actinidia chinensis and Actinidia deliciosa)
- Chinese goshawk (Accipiter soloensis)
- Chinese grapefruit (Citrus maxima)
- Chinese grass (Boehmeria nivea (ramie))
- Chinese gybe
- Chinese hackberry (Celtis sinensis)
- Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus)
- Chinese hand analysis
- Chinese handball
- Chinese handcuffs
- Chinese head tax
- Chinese hedge
- Chinese herbal medicine
- Chinese herb tea
- Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
- Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta)
- Chinese honey bee (Apis cerana)
- Chinese house church
- Chinese hypothesis
- Chinese indigo (Isatis indigotica ⇒ Isatis tinctoria)
- Chinese Indonesian
- Chinese ink
- Chinese isinglass
- Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba)
- Chinese jump rope
- Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis)
- Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra)
- Chinese keys (Boesenbergia rotunda)
- Chinese Korean
- Chinese lacquer
- Chinese lacquer tree (Toxicodendron vernicifluum)
- Chinese lantern, including Alkekengi officinarum (syn. Physalis alkekengi)
- Chinese lantern plant (Alkekengi officinarum, syn. Physalis alkekengi)
- Chinese laundry
- Chinese layering
- Chinese leaf, Chinese leaves (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis)
- Chinese leaf warbler (Phylloscopus yunnanensis)
- Chinese lettuce (Lactuca sativa cultivars)
- Chinese linking rings
- Chinese little bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis)
- Chinese liver fluke (Clonorchis sinensis)
- Chinese long bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis)
- Chinese lug
- Chinesely
- Chinese magnolia (Magnolia coco)
- Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis)
- Chinese marble
- Chinese matrimony vine (Lycium barbarum)
- Chinese mauritian
- Chinese melon
- Chinese merganser (Mergus squamatus)
- Chinese millet (Setaria italica)
- Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)
- Chinese molasses
- Chinese mountain cat (Felis bieti)
- Chinese mulberry
- Chinese mushroom
- Chinese mustard, Chinese mustard cabbage (Brassica juncea)
- Chinese National Standard
- Chinese New Year
- Chinese noodles
- Chinese number gesture
- Chinese numeral
- Chinese okra, Chinese okra squash (Luffa acutangula)
- Chinese opening
- Chinese paddlefish (Psephurus gladius)
- Chinese painted quail (Coturnix chinensis ⇒ Excalfactoria chinensis)
- Chinese paper
- Chinese parasol, Chinese parasol tree (Firmiana simplex)
- Chinese parsley (Coriandrum sativum)
- Chinese pavilion
- Chinese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia)
- Chinese pea tree (Caragana arborescens)
- Chinese peony (Paeonia lactiflora)
- Chinese pepper (Zanthoxylum spp.)
- Chinese Peruvian
- Chinese pheasant
- Chinese phoenix
- Chinese Pidgin English
- Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
- Chinese pitcher-plant (Nepenthes mirabilis)
- Chinese plum
- Chinese poker
- Chinese pond heron (Ardeola bacchus)
- Chinese portrait
- Chinese postman problem
- Chinese potato (Coleus rotundifolius, syn. Plectranthus rotundifolius)
- Chinese primrose (Primula sinensis)
- Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense)
- Chinese Proficiency Test
- Chinese Puerto Rican
- Chinese puzzle
- Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis)
- Chinese radish Raphanus sativus var. niger ⇒ Raphanus sativus var. sativus)
- Chinese red
- Chinese red date (Ziziphus jujuba)
- Chinese red head, Chinese red-headed centipede (Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans)
- Chinese red pine
- Chinese red vinegar
- Chinese remainder theorem
- Chinese restaurant process
- Chinese restaurant syndrome
- Chinese Revolution
- Chinese rhubarb (Rheum palmatum, Rheum officinale)
- Chinese rice wine
- Chinese rings
- Chinese river crab (Eriocheir sinensis)
- Chinese river dolphin (†Lipotes vexillifer)
- Chinese room
- Chinese room argument
- Chinese rose (Rosa chinensis)
- Chinese rosewood (Dalbergia odorifera})
- Chinese sacred lily (Narcissus tazetta)
- Chinese sausage
- Chinese scholar's rocks
- Chinese scholar tree (Styphnolobium japonicum)
- Chinese seal
- Chinese senna (Senna obtusifolia)
- Chinese Shan
- Chinese Shar Pei
- Chinese silk plant (Boehmeria nivea (ramie))
- Chinese silver
- Chinese silver panda
- Chinese slipper
- Chinese snowball (Viburnum macrocephalum)
- Chinese soup spoon
- Chinese Soviet Republic
- Chinese spinach
- Chinese splits
- Chinese spotbill (Anas poecilorhyncha zonorhyncha ⇒ Anas zonorhyncha)
- Chinese squeeze
- Chinese steamed bun
- Chinese steamed eggs
- Chinese strawberry tree (Myrica rubra ⇒ Morella rubra)
- Chinese striped hamster (Cricetulus barabensis)
- Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis)
- Chinese style name
- Chinese sugarcane (Saccharum sinense)
- Chinese swordfish (Psephurus gladius)
- Chinese tag
- Chinese Taipei
- Chinese takeaway
- Chinese take-out
- Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera)
- Chinese temple block
- Chinese tickle torture
- Chinese tobacco
- Chinese toe cuffs
- Chinese tour
- Chinese truffle (Tuber sinense)
- Chinese trumpet creeper, Chinese trumpet vine (Campsis grandiflora)
- Chinese tulip tree (Liriodendron chinense)
- Chinese tumbler
- Chinese Turkestan
- Chinese turnip (Pachyrhizus erosus)
- Chinese Valentine's Day
- Chinese vampire
- Chinese varnish
- Chinese vermilion
- Chinese Vietnamese
- Chinese Wall
- Chinese wall doctrine
- Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis)
- Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis inermis)
- Chinese water dragon (Physignathus cocincinus)
- Chinese water-lily
- Chinese watermelon (Benincasa hispida)
- Chinese water therapy
- Chinese water torture
- Chinese wax
- Chinese wheat noodles
- Chinese wheel
- Chinese whispers
- Chinese white
- Chinese white cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis)
- Chinese white dolphin (Sousa chinensis)
- Chinese white pear (Pyrus ×bretschneideri)
- Chinese white pine (Pinus armandii)
- Chinese wildman
- Chinese willow (Salix matsudana)
- Chinese windlass
- Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)
- Chinese winter squash
- Chinese wistaria, Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)
- Chinese wolfberry (Lycium barbarum, Lycium chinense)
- Chinese wood block
- Chinese wood oil
- Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita ⇒ Dioscorea polystchya)
- Chinese yellow
- Chinese yew
- Chinese yo-yo
- Chinese zither
- Chinese zodiac
Translations
of, from, or relating to China, its people, its culture, and its language
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Proper noun
Chinese
- (uncountable, collective) The citizens of China, particularly citizens of the People's Republic of China.
- 1900, Jared Sparks, Edward Everett, Henry Cabot Lodge, The North American Review, volume 171, page 390:
- If the Chinese were a people like the Russians, the Germans or the French, we (I address chiefly American and British readers) would observe any marked increase in their industrial activity or in their national aggressiveness with some misgiving, possibly, but […]
- 1934, Chinese Affairs, volume 65, page 23:
- I have given these points to make it clear that the Chinese are a people of strong emotion; and that this emotion is highest and purest when running in the channels of filial piety and loyalty.
- 2002, Sino-American Relations, volume 28, page 60:
- After Pearl Harbor, American sympathy for the Chinese grew even stronger, for the Chinese were a people who had long been bravely resisting Japanese aggressors.
- 2019 September 30, Jiang Jiang, “I am proud of my country”, in Times of Malta:
- China is a country with a 5,000 year uninterrupted civilisation, and the Chinese are a people that keep moving forward amid trials and tribulations.
- The Chinese have an incredible history.
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- (uncountable, collective) The Han Chinese, whether in China or overseas.
- The Chinese are present in all parts of the world.
- (uncountable) The Standard Chinese language, written in Chinese characters and spoken and spelled using Standard Mandarin pronunciation.
- 你好 is read “Nǐ hǎo” and means “Hello” in Chinese.
- (uncountable) The branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family including Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese, Minnan, and other closely related language varieties and dialects.
- Suzhounese and Hakka are lesser-known varieties of Chinese.
- (uncountable) The logographic writing system shared by most Sinitic languages.
- Hong Kong still uses traditional Chinese.
Synonyms
- (Standard Chinese): Putonghua, Guoyu, Huayu, Guanhua, Hanyu, Zhongwen
Derived terms
Derived terms
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Translations
the people of China — See also translations at Han Chinese, overseas Chinese
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the standard language of China — See also translations at Mandarin
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writing system of Chinese
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked: "language"
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Noun
Chinese (countable and uncountable, plural Chinese or Chineses)
- (countable) A person from China or of Chinese descent.
- 1738, Du Halde, J. B., “PROVINCE IV. FO-KYEN.”, in A Description of the Empire of China and Chinese-Tartary, Together with the Kingdoms of Korea, and Tibet, volume I, London, OCLC 13628142, page 88:
- If the Chineſe had Liberty to ſettle in Formoſa, ſeveral Families would gladly tranſplant themſelves thither ; but in order thereto they muſt obtain Paſsports from the Mandarins of China, who grant them with Difficulty, and not without taking Security.
The Mandarins are very careful to examine all that paſs into or out of the Iſland, and ſome of them extort Money under-hand. This extraordinary Precaution is the Effect of good Policy eſpecially as the Tartars are Maſters of China ; for Formoſa is a Place of great Importance, and if a Chineſe ſhould ſeize it, he might raiſe great Troubles in the Empire : ſo that the Emperor keeps a Garriſon there of ten thouſand Men, commanded by a Tſong-ping, or Lieutenant-General, two Fû-tſyang, or Major-General, and ſeveral inferior Officers; who are chang’d duely every three years, or oftner, if there be Occaſion.
- 1999, Lydia Laube, Bound for Vietnam, →ISBN, page 24:
- But I had the unmitigated pleasure of watching a family of four Chinese struggle to use knives and forks to [eat] their bacon and eggs.
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- (uncountable) Chinese cuisine.
- 1958, A.G. Yates, The Cold Dark Hours, Sydney: Horwitz, published 1963, page 73:
- "Do you like to eat Chinese?
- Please don't eat the Chinese. I'm saving it for later.
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- (UK, countable, informal) A meal consisting of Chinese cuisine.
- We're going out tonight for a Chinese.
Usage notes
As with other nationalities formed with -ese, the countable singular noun in reference to a person (as in "I am a Chinese", "writing about Chinese cuisine as a Chinese") is uncommon and often taken as incorrect. In its place, the adjective is used, by itself (as in "I am Chinese") or with a word like person, man, or woman ("writing about Chinese cuisine as a Chinese person"). However, it is rather frequent in East Asia as a translation for the demonym of the country written 中國人／中国人 (Zhōngguórén) (lit. person from China) in Chinese or 中国人 (chūgokujin) in Japanese. The ethnicity is referred to differently by different people, notably 華人／华人 (Huárén) or 漢人／汉人 (Hànrén)
Synonyms
- (Chinese person): Han (ethnic Chinese regardless of the residence), Chinaman (properly of a man only, now usually considered an offensive slur); Chinee (archaic, offensive); chink (offensive slur); Sinese, Chinean, Chinian, Chinish, Chinesian (rare, archaic)
Related terms
- Chinesery
Translations
person from China or of Chinese descent
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Chinese food
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked: "people"
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See also
- Wiktionary’s coverage of Chinese terms
References
- Chinese in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- ISO 639-1 code zh, ISO 639-3 code zho (SIL)
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese, zho
, a language family including:
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Gan, gan
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Hakka, hak
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Huizhou, czh
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Jinyu, cjy
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Mandarin, cmn
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Min Bei, mnp
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Min Dong, cdo
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Min Nan, nan
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Min Zhong, czo
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Puxian, cpx
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Wu, wuu
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Xiang, hsn
- Ethnologue entry for Chinese Yue, yue
Anagrams
- Chinees, Eischen, seechin'
Dutch
Etymology
From Chinees + -e.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ʃiˈneː.sə/
Audio (file) - Hyphenation: Chi‧ne‧se
- Rhymes: -eːsə
Noun
Chinese f (plural Chinesen, masculine Chinees)
- woman from China
Related terms
- China
- Chinees
Adjective
Chinese
- Inflected form of Chinees
Anagrams
- Chinees
German
Etymology
China + -ese
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /çiˈneːzə/, /ʃiˈneːzə/
Audio (file)
- (southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland) IPA(key): /kiˈneːzə/
Audio (Austria) (file)
- Hyphenation: Chi‧ne‧se
Noun
Chinese m (weak, genitive Chinesen, plural Chinesen)
- person from China
Declension
Declension of Chinese [masculine, weak]
| singular | plural | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| indef. | def. | noun | def. | noun | |
| nominative | ein | der | Chinese | die | Chinesen |
| genitive | eines | des | Chinesen | der | Chinesen |
| dative | einem | dem | Chinesen | den | Chinesen |
| accusative | einen | den | Chinesen | die | Chinesen |
Derived terms
- Chinesin f (female person from China)
Further reading
- “Chinese” in Duden online
- “Chinese” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache