Chinatown

American  

[chahy-nuh-toun] / ˈtʃaɪ nəˌtaʊn /

noun

1. the main Chinese district in any city outside China.

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Chinatown British  

/ ˈtʃaɪnəˌtaʊn /

noun

1. a quarter of any city or town outside China with a predominantly Chinese population

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Etymology

Origin of Chinatown

China + town

Example Sentences

From the expansive photo archives of his living room to a midnight shoot in the industrial heart of Chinatown, Reynaldo Rivera reveals the ghosts of Old Hollywood and the messy humanity captured in his lens.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Those potential improvements include sidewalk repairs and a revitalized pedestrian pathway from the Chinatown Metro station to the bridge across the 110 and then across Stadium Way, to Lookout Drive and the hill above.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

Zoox will quadruple its service area in San Francisco starting this spring, expanding rides to the eastern half of the city, including the Marina District, North Beach, Chinatown and Pacific Heights neighborhoods.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

When Ferguson and Slater began their new roles, they joined Davis one night at a bar in Chinatown in Washington.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Chinatown was beginning to draw tourist traffic, but unfortunately the shop wasn’t on either of the two main arteries of the neighborhood.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu