mandarin

American  

[man-duh-rin] / ˈmæn də rɪn /

noun

1. (in the Chinese Empire) a member of any of the nine ranks of public officials, each distinguished by a particular kind of button worn on the cap.

2. (initial capital letter) the standard Chinese language.

3. (initial capital letter) a northern Chinese dialect, especially as spoken in and around Beijing.

4. a small, spiny citrus tree, Citrus reticulata, native to China, bearing lance-shaped leaves and flattish, orange-yellow to deep-orange loose-skinned fruit, some varieties of which are called tangerines.

5. any of several plants belonging to the genus Disporum or Streptopus, of the lily family, as S. roseus rose mandarin or D. lanuginosum yellow mandarin, having drooping flowers and red berries.

6. an influential or powerful government official or bureaucrat.

7. a member of an elite or powerful group or class, as in intellectual or cultural milieus.

   the mandarins of the art world.

---

adjective

1. of or relating to a mandarin or mandarins.

2. elegantly refined, as in language or taste.

mandarin British  

/ ˈmændərɪn /

noun

1. (in the Chinese Empire) a member of any of the nine senior grades of the bureaucracy, entered by examinations

2. a high-ranking official whose powers are extensive and thought to be outside political control

3. a person of standing and influence, as in literary or intellectual circles

4. 1. a small citrus tree, Citrus nobilis, cultivated for its edible fruit

   2. the fruit of this tree, resembling the tangerine

---

Other Word Forms

• mandarinate noun

Etymology

Origin of mandarin

1580–90; < Portuguese mandarim, alteration (by association with mandar to order) of Malay məntəri < Hindi mantrī, Sanskrit mantrin councilor

Explanation

Use the noun mandarin when you're talking about a powerful member of a government, company, or cultural group. In other words, don't mess with the mandarin. You can use mandarin to mean "bureaucrat," or an official who tends to make things complicated and who wields a lot of power. Another kind of mandarin is a respected cultural or academic figure: "My favorite philosophy professor is considered a mandarin on campus." Mandarin with a capital "M" refers to the language spoken in China. Originally, this word meant simply "Chinese official," from the Hindi root word mantrī, "counselor."

Example Sentences

And indeed whether its chairman, Richard Hughes, a Harvard-educated former Treasury mandarin, has in fact become as important as the real chancellor.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

My euphoria stemmed as much from the mandarin eloquence of the characters as from the unanticipated magic that can happen when a playwright finds his community of actors.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2025

Nest New York’s Holiday wall diffuser refill combines pomegranate, mandarin, pine, cloves, cinnamon and vanilla into an aroma that’s spicy and seasonal.

From Washington Times • Dec. 6, 2023

From limes and Meyer lemons to numerous varieties of mandarin oranges, we're blessed with fruit.

From Salon • Nov. 2, 2023

The mandarin sprung to attention, his hands stiff to his sides.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier