Chinese

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   Of, from, or related to China, particularly now the People's Republic of China.

   • China has been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party since 1949.
   • Experts told CNN it could take weeks to address the vulnerabilities and that suspected Chinese hackers are already attempting to exploit it.
2. 2

   Of, from, or related to the people of China, particularly the Han Chinese and their…

   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.
3. 3

   Of, from, or related to a language native to Han Chinese persons, often used generally of…

   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.

   • There are four Chinese tones... five, if you count the neutral one.
   • The DPRK (Joseon Minjujui Inmin Konghuaguk 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國) is read in Chinese as Chaoxian minzhu zhuyi renmin gonghe guo, and its capital, Pyeonyang, is pronounced Pingrang 平壤.
4. ›+ 12 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      As exotic, unusual, backwards, or unorganized as someone or something from China.

      • It's all Chinese to me.
   2. 5

      Used with a noun to indicate a referent different from, and seemingly more exotic or…

      Used with a noun to indicate a referent different from, and seemingly more exotic or unusual than, the base noun's referent.

      • Chinese apple, Chinese checkers, Chinese snooker
   3. 6

      Having barn doors with a horizontal orientation.

   4. 7

      The citizens of China, particularly citizens of the People's Republic of China.

      • The Chinese have an incredible history.
      • 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.
   5. 8

      The Han Chinese, whether in China or overseas.

      • The Chinese are present in all parts of the world.
   6. 9

      The Standard Chinese language, written in Chinese characters and spoken and spelled using…

      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.
   7. 10

      The branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family including Mandarin, Cantonese,…

      The branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family including Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese, Southern Min, and other closely related language varieties and dialects.

      • Suzhounese and Hakka are lesser-known varieties of Chinese.
   8. 11

      The logographic writing system shared by most Sinitic languages.

      • Hong Kong still uses traditional Chinese.
   9. 12

      A person from China or of Chinese descent.

      • And the Iaponians, are longer liv’d, than the Chineſes; […]
      • 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.
   10. 13

       Ellipsis of Chinese cuisine.

       • Please don't eat the Chinese. I'm saving it for later.
       • "Do you like to eat Chinese?
       • I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fook's Gonna get a big dish of beef chow mein.
   11. 14

       Ellipsis of Chinese meal (“meal consisting of Chinese cuisine”).

       • We're going out tonight for a Chinese.
   12. 15

       Ellipsis of Chinese restaurant (“restaurant serving Chinese cuisine”).

       • Want to go to the Chinese after work?

The neighborhood

• synonymSinicof China, its language or people
• synonymSino-of China, its language or people
• synonymSericof China, its language or people
• synonymSerianof China, its language or people
• synonymSericanof China, its language or people
• synonymSinaeanof China, its language or people
• synonymSinesianof China, its language or people
• synonymCathayanof China, its language or people
• synonymChinesianof China, its language or people
• synonymHan
• synonymChinaman
• synonymChinee
• neighborAnglo-Chinese
• neighborChinese-Filipino
• neighborFilipino-Chinese
• neighborHan Chinese
• neighborChinesery
• neighborWiktionary’s coverage of Chinese terms