cheongsam

American

[chawng-sahm] / ˈtʃɔŋˈsɑm /

noun

a form-fitting, knee-length dress with a mandarin collar and slit skirt, worn chiefly by Chinese women.

cheongsam British

/ ˈtʃɒŋˈsæm /

noun

a straight dress, usually of silk or cotton, with a stand-up collar and a slit in one side of the skirt, worn by Chinese women

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cheongsam

1955–60; < Chinese dial. (Guangdong) chèuhngsāam, equivalent to Chinese chángshān long dress

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.

For a 2017 state dinner hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, she donned a Gucci dress inspired by the traditional Chinese cheongsam style.

From Washington Post • Jun. 3, 2019

First Lady Melania Trump wore a cheongsam during a visit to Beijing in November.

From Reuters • May 3, 2018

A picture of another woman with black hair dressed in a red cheongsam said: “I am _______. Shanghai is my hometown.”

From Salon • Jun. 18, 2017

Elegant in her cheongsam, the score remarkably similar to Shigeru Umebayashi’s “Yumeji’s Theme,” best known for its use in Wong Kar Wai’s luxurious film “In the Mood For Love,” Liz decides she’s had enough.

From New York Times • Dec. 17, 2015

He caught sight of my cheongsam and a puzzled look came over his face.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023