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yamen

[yah-muh n]
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noun
  1. (in the Chinese Empire) the residence or office of a public official.
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Origin of yamen

1820–30; < Chinese yámen (yá office + mén gate)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for yamen

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • The yamen is surrounded by an extensive park, in which is some good timber.

    China

    Sir Henry Arthur Blake

  • The social side of the life of a Chinese mandarin is not confined to his own yamen.

    China

    Sir Henry Arthur Blake

  • During the day a secretary arrived from the yamen to interview the Ministers.

    With the Allies to Pekin

    George Alfred Henty

  • His yamen was built in the usual Chinese style and was 316 surrounded by a wall.

  • So my husband was just starting for the yamen to tell the tale.

    Intimate China

    Mrs. Archibald Little

British Dictionary definitions for yamen

yamen

noun
  1. (in imperial China) the office or residence of a public official
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Word Origin

C19: from Chinese, from ya general's office + měn gate
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