Chinese

[ chahy-neez, -nees ]

noun

, plural Chi·nese.

1. the standard language of China, based on the speech of Beijing; Mandarin.
2. a group of languages of the Sino-Tibetan family, including standard Chinese and most of the other languages of China. : Chin., Chin
3. any of the Chinese languages, which vary among themselves to the point of mutual unintelligibility.
4. Chinese food:

   We usually order Chinese from a place across the street.

5. Often Offensive. a native or descendant of a native of China. the current entry.

adjective

1. of or relating to China, its inhabitants, or one of their languages.
2. noting or pertaining to the partly logographic, partly phonetic script used for the writing of Chinese, Japanese, and other languages, consisting of thousands of brushstroke characters written in vertical columns from right to left.

Chinese

/ tʃaɪˈniːz /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of China, its people, or their languages

noun

1. -nese a native or inhabitant of China or a descendant of one
2. See Cantonese, Pekingese, Mandarin Chinese
   any of the languages of China belonging to the Sino-Tibetan family, sometimes regarded as dialects of one language. They share a single writing system that is not phonetic but ideographic. A phonetic system using the Roman alphabet was officially adopted by the Chinese government in 1966 See also Mandarin Chinese Pekingese Cantonese

Sensitive Note

In the past, the word Chinese has been used as a noun to describe a person or people (the CEO is a Chinese ). This usage is dated and almost always considered offensive today. The adjective Chinese is found in a few set phrases ( Chinese copy, Chinese fire drill, Chinese money, and Chinese tour ) in which it represents inferiority—implying that something is less good, useful, or effective, or that it is not authentic. In other set phrases ( Chinese checkers, Chinese tag ), the word represents that something is exotic or unusual. These uses are usually considered offensive.

Other Words From

• an·ti-Chi·nese adjective noun plural antiChinese
• non-Chi·nese adjective noun plural nonChinese
• pro-Chi·nese adjective noun plural proChinese
• pseu·do-Chi·nese adjective noun plural pseudoChinese

Word History and Origins

Origin of Chinese¹

First recorded in 1570–80; Chin(a) + -ese

Example Sentences

The family was taking some private moments for a closing of the coffin in keeping with Chinese ritual.

From The Daily Beast

Monitoring Chinese social-media platforms has paid off for the Chinese government.

From The Daily Beast

HONG KONG—Last year, I met a Chinese graduate student on a tour of the northeastern United States before his first day at Harvard.

From The Daily Beast

We ought to seek Chinese cooperation in a response to this North Korean act of aggression.

From The Daily Beast

Some experts suggest that other parties, perhaps Iranian or Chinese, may have played some role.

From The Daily Beast

Undesirable inhabitants of the country are being sent away, especially the Japanese, who are more dangerous than the Chinese.

From Project Gutenberg

Rich natives and Chinese lost large sums of money, the total of which cannot be ascertained.

From Project Gutenberg

Besides, we now know that the plant which furnishes the Chinese tobacco is even said to grow wild in the East Indies.

From Project Gutenberg

Truly, with four or five thousand Chinese, the community would be well served and the country free from danger.

From Project Gutenberg

There are at present more than sixteen thousand Chinese in this city of Manila, who have received license to stay in the country.

From Project Gutenberg