Han

¹ American  

[hahn] / hɑn /

noun

1. a dynasty in China, 206 b.c.–a.d. 220, with an interregnum, a.d. 9–25: characterized by consolidation of the centralized imperial state and territorial expansion.

2. a river flowing from central China into the Yangtze at Hankow. 900 miles (1,450 km) long.

3. the Chinese people in general, especially those not of Mongol, Manchu, Tibetan, or other non-Chinese extraction.

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Han ² American  

[hahn, huhn] / hɑn, hʌn /

noun

plural

Hans,

plural

Han

1. a member of a group of Indigenous people inhabiting the Yukon River drainage basin near the Alaska-Canada border.

2. the Athabascan language of the Han.

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Han ¹ British  

/ hæn /

noun

1. the imperial dynasty that ruled China for most of the time from 206 _bc to 221 _ad , expanding its territory and developing its bureaucracy

2. the Chinese people as contrasted to Mongols, Manchus, etc

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Han ² British  

/ hæn /

noun

1. a river in E central China, rising in S Shaanxi and flowing southeast through Hubei to the Yangtze River at Wuhan. Length: about 1450 km (900 miles)

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Etymology

Origin of Han

From Kutchin han-gwičin “river dwellers”

Example Sentences

Peter Cho and wife Sun Young Park share two kids and two Portland restaurants, Han Oak and Jeju.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

The central strategic question No Kings must now answer, according to political scientist Hahrie Han, is not whether the protests are legitimate, but whether they are durable.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

The species used, Drosophila melanogaster, is widely used in behavioral research because its genetic makeup and neural systems share important similarities with humans, Han explained.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

As a result, the regional capitals of Lhasa and Urumqi have already seen a massive influx of Han culture.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

Between roads the woods and plains moved too; the land was peopled—the Han people, the People of One Hundred Surnames, marching with one heart, our tatters flying.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston