South China Sea

American  

noun

1. a part of the western Pacific, bounded by southeastern China, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and the Philippines.

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South China Sea British  

noun

1. part of the Pacific surrounded by SE China, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and the Philippines

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Etymology

Origin of South China Sea

First recorded in 1870–75

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

South China Sea

Military analysts, for instance, say it has established electronic warfare units on an archipelago of man-made islands in the South China Sea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

Washington says the base, which was originally built partly with US funding, could give Beijing a strategic position near the South China Sea.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

In October 2025, the USS Nimitz lost a helicopter and a jet fighter within 30 minutes of each other while sailing through the South China Sea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

The US carrier left San Diego last November on what was supposed to be a six-month assignment in the Pacific and South China Sea.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

The AO lay along the South China Sea, where things had the feel of a resort, with white beaches and palm trees and friendly little villages.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

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