CHINESE Definition & Meaning

Chinese

[ chahy-neez, -nees ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural Chinese.

the standard language of China, based on the speech of Beijing; Mandarin.
a group of languages of the Sino-Tibetan family, including standard Chinese and most of the other languages of China. : Chin., Chin
any of the Chinese languages, which vary among themselves to the point of mutual unintelligibility.
Chinese food:
We usually order Chinese from a place across the street.
Often Offensive. a native or descendant of a native of China.

adjective

of or relating to China, its inhabitants, or one of their languages.
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

/ ��ʃ��ɪˈ�Ծ�ː�� /

adjective

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

noun

-nese a native or inhabitant of China or a descendant of one
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

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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.

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Other �y��vlog Forms

��·�پ�-��·�Ա�� adjective noun plural antiChinese
�Դǲ�-��·�Ա�� adjective noun plural nonChinese
��-��·�Ա�� adjective noun plural proChinese
��·��-��·�Ա�� adjective noun plural pseudoChinese

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of Chinese¹

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

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The president also suggested the US could offer a deal where China agrees to approve a TikTok sale in exchange for relief from US tariffs on Chinese imports.

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Prince Andrew's involvement with an alleged Chinese spy came at a time his chief aide and other royals believed his reputation was "irrecoverable".

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Beijing had given up on the hope of using the small window it had before Trump's 54% tariffs on Chinese goods took effect next week to do a deal.

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More documents about the relationship between Prince Andrew and an alleged Chinese agent of influence are being released to BBC News on Friday.

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He claimed that the country and his political opposition had been infiltrated by North Korean and Chinese spies, and that these "anti-state forces" had rigged past elections.

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