Chinese

See also: chinese

English

Etymology

From China +‎ -ese.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) enPR: chī-nēzʹ, IPA(key): /t͡ʃaɪˈniːz/; (sometimes) enPR: chīʹnēz, IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃaɪniːz/
  • (US) enPR: chī'nēzʹ, IPA(key): /ˌt͡ʃaɪˈniz/; (sometimes) enPR: chīʹnēz', IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃaɪˌniz/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -iːz

Proper noun

Chinese

  1. Any of several Sinitic languages spoken in China, especially Literary Chinese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Wu, or Min Nan.
    Peter is from Hong Kong and speaks Chinese.
  2. The class of Sino-Tibetan dialects including Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, Min Nan and others.
    Wu and Hakka are lesser-known varieties of Chinese.
  3. The logographic writing system shared by this language family.
    Hong Kong uses traditional Chinese.
  4. Mandarin: the official language of the People's Republic of China
    “Ni hao” means “hello” in Chinese.

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Noun

Chinese (countable and uncountable, plural Chinese)

  1. (uncountable) The people of China.
    The Chinese have an incredible history.
  2. (uncountable) All people of Chinese descent or self-identity
    The Chinese are present in all parts of the world.
  3. (countable) A person from China or of Chinese descent.
    • 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.
  4. Chinese food or meal.
    1. (Britain, countable, informal) A Chinese meal.
      We're going out tonight for a Chinese.
    2. (Britain, Canada, US, uncountable, informal) Chinese food.
      Please don't eat the Chinese: I'm saving it for later.

Usage notes

As with all nationalities formed from -ese, the countable singular form ("I am a Chinese") is uncommon and often taken as incorrect, although it is rather frequent in East Asia as a translation for the demonyms written 中国人 in Chinese characters or Japanese kanji.

Synonyms

  • (Chinese person): Chinaman (properly of a man only, now usually considered an offensive slur); Chinee (archaic, offensive); chink (offensive slur); Sinese (rare, historical)

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Adjective

Chinese (not generally comparable, comparative more Chinese, superlative most Chinese)

  1. Of China, its languages or people
    • 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.
  2. Exotic; unfamiliar; unexpected; used in phrases such as Chinese whispers, Chinese handcuffs, and Chinese checkers.

Synonyms

  • (of China, its language or people): Sinic, Sino- (prefix)

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Further reading

  • Chinese in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • ISO 639-1 code zh, ISO 639-3 code zho. It's a family or related languages. The individual ones are:

Anagrams

Dutch

Etymology

From Chinees +‎ -e

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʃi.ˈneː.sə/
  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: Chi‧ne‧se

Noun

Chinese f (plural Chinesen, masculine Chinees)

  1. female person from China
  • China n (China)
  • Chinees m (person from China, male or female)
  • Chinees n (the Chinese language)

Anagrams

German

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /çiˈneːzə/
  • Audio (Austria)(file)
  • Audio(file)

Noun

Chinese m (genitive Chinesen, plural Chinesen)

  1. person from China

Declension

Derived terms

Further reading

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