Chinaman
Americannoun
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Older Use: Offensive. a term used to refer to a Chinese person or a person of Chinese descent.
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(often lowercase) a person regarded as one's benefactor, sponsor, or protector.
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(lowercase) a person who imports or sells china.
idioms
noun
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archaic a native or inhabitant of China
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(often not capital) cricket a ball bowled by a left-handed bowler to a right-handed batsman that spins from off to leg
Sensitive Note
Historically, Chinaman was a neutral compound word, similar to Irishman or Englishman , but it began to take on negative connotations in the 19th century, when many Chinese immigrants went to work in the American West. The expression a Chinaman's chance originally made reference to these Chinese laborers, though the exact origin of the phrase is disputed.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of Chinaman
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Chinaman Trail in New Mexico was likely named such because Chinese laborers constructed the original trail as part of mining operations.
From Scientific American ● Mar. 30, 2021
Hua Hsu is a staff writer for the New Yorker and the author of A Floating Chinaman.
From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2018
He continued to release solo projects while recording with 2 Live Crew and formed his own imprint, Chinaman Records.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2017
This piece is adapted from “A Floating Chinaman: Fantasy and Failure across the Pacific,” recently published by Harvard University Press.
From The New Yorker ● Jul. 14, 2016
He would stride the daises and the stages with his voice strong and clear, unafraid to speak the language like a Puritan and like a Chinaman and like every boat person in between.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Every few days a new opera is presented, in Chinese, by Chinamen and Chinawomen artists and singers, for a Chinese audience and entirely in the Chinese manner.
From Time Magazine Archive
He is the only white man to my knowledge ever to become a Chinese Mason, which is considered among Chinamen a great honor.
From Time Magazine Archive
Next morning still no Jones, and all seems as usual; work is resumed, the Chinamen ask no questions as to their wounded comrade, and peace reigns.
From Round the Wonderful World by Forrest, A. S. (Archibald Stevenson)
But the crowd was nearly all men—Mexicans, Chinamen, American ranchers and tourists, Germans, Negroes from Jamaica, Filipinos, Hindus with turbans.
From The Desert Fiddler by Hamby, William H. (William Henry)
In spite of this dire introduction, he accepted the captain’s offer, was landed at Taahauku with three Chinamen, and proceeded to clear the jungle.
From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 18 (of 25) by Stevenson, Robert Louis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
