Word origins

• circuitThe act of moving or revolving around, or as in a circle or orbit; a revolution
• brainwashingA form of indoctrination that forces people to abandon their beliefs in favour of another set of beliefs by conditioning through various forms of pressure or torture.
• brainwashA distorting effect upon one's memory, belief, or ideas, as by propaganda.
• 610 OfficeThe Public Security Anti-Xie-Jiao Organization (公安部反邪教组, gong'anbu fanxiejiao zu) in the People's Republic of China
• add oilSynonym of let's go: a cheer of encouragement, support, etc.
• anemophobiaA fear of or aversion from wind.
• ants climbing a treeA Sichuan dish of ground meat cooked in a sauce and poured over cellophane noodles.
• a revolution is not a dinner partyIn order to achieve something, courtesy, long-held norms, and other such formalities must be dropped.
• Azure DragonA Chinese dragon.
• bean curdTofu.
• big fish eat little fishBigger animals, people, and companies tend to eliminate, or at least dominate, those that are smaller.
• black bean sauceAn Asian sauce made with fermented and salted black soybeans.
• black dragonSynonym of black tar heroin.
• Buddha Jumps Over the WallA variety of shark fin soup in Fujian cuisine.
• bullet-screen gameA kind of livestreaming video game in which viewers' likes, comments and donations affect the gameplay in real time.
• Central Mountain RangeA mountain range running through central Taiwan Island.
• chicken skingoose bumps, sensation of raised skin caused by excitement etc.
• Chinese DreamThe revival of the Chinese nation as a global power.
• cloud collarA type of ornate four-lobed Han detached collar.
• coin-sworda type of Chinese numismatic charms that were primarily used in southern China to ward off evil spirits and malicious influences
• cold food powderA psychoactive drug composed of various minerals and herbs, used in ancient China both medicinally and recreationally.
• countertomyFanqie.
• court deathTo act in a way perceived as inviting lethal consequences, especially by challenging someone more powerful.
• dog foodFood eaten by or appropriate for dogs in general, whether wild or domesticated.
• Dragon Boat FestivalA Chinese holiday on Duanwu, the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar
• dragon kilnA form of long, sloped kiln traditionally used in China, which can achieve very high temperatures.
• earthly branchThe (approximately) twelve years of Jupiter's orbital period, forming the Chinese zodiac and personified as twelve or sixty gods known as Tai Sui.
• Eighth Route Armya group army under the command of the Chinese Communist Party that fought the Japanese military and its puppet armies in both conventional and guerrilla warfare during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
• eight-legged essayA standardized argumentative essay consisting of eight parts, written by candidates in the Chinese imperial examination.
• erizationErhua.
• facekiniA balaclava-like swimwear face mask which completely covers the face except for holes for the eyes, nose, and mouth, worn as protection from sun and irritants.
• five mineral powderSynonym of cold food powder.
• Five PhasesSynonym of wuxing.
• flying eavesA style of roof, with eaves upturned at the corners, seen in traditional Chinese architecture.
• Forbidden CityA palace of the Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty located in Dongcheng district, Beijing, China.
• Four Books and Five ClassicsChinese texts that serve as the authoritative works of Confucianism.
• Four OldsThe four traditional things targeted for destruction during China's Cultural Revolution, usually translated as old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas.
• fragrant meatDog meat; the meat of a dog.
• fried riceAny of very many forms of rice that are first cooked by boiling and then stir-fried with other ingredients
• Ghost FestivalA traditional Buddhist and Taoist festival in Asia, when ghosts and spirits are said to emerge from the lower realm, and deceased ancestors are venerated.
• Golden ShieldSynonym of Great Firewall of China.
• Gold MountainA census-designated place in Plumas County, California, United States.
• good good study, day day upif one studies hard, they will gradually improve day by day
• grass carpA freshwater fish species of the family Cyprinidae (Ctenopharyngodon idella), native to eastern Asia.
• Greater Bay AreaA geographic region and megalopolis in South China, consisting of nine cities of the province of Guangdong (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Huizhou, and Zhaoqing) and two special administrative regions: Hong Kong and Macau.
• green teaLeaves of the tea plant which are treated with steam or roasted to denature the enzymes that cause the leaves to darken and change taste. (Without this step they would become oolong tea or black tea).
• health codeA QR code identifying someone's risk level during the COVID-19 pandemic in the PRC, colored in green, yellow, or red in increasing danger.
• heatinessThe quality of being heaty.
• heatyPromoting heat; stimulating or energising the body (according to traditional Chinese medicine).
• Horned MiaoA Hmongic language spoken in China.
• horny goat weedAn Asian herb, of the genus Epimedium, used in traditional Chinese medicine for erectile dysfunction
• hot potA stew of beef or lamb and potatoes.
• Jade EmperorThe lord of the Celestial Hierarchy, ruling over Heaven, Earth, and Hell.
• Khitan large scriptA logographic script, used to write the Khitan language.
• Khitan small scriptA logographic and syllabaric script, used to write the Khitan language.
• Kowloon CityAn area of Kowloon City district, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
• let a thousand flowers bloomOne should not interfere with promising developments in their early stages.
• lotus footA foot whose shape has been altered by footbinding.
• May 35thThe anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre on the fourth of June, known in China as the June Fourth Incident.
• Monkey KingSynonym of Sun Wukong.
• monk fruitThe fruit of Siraitia grosvenorii, a herbaceous perennial vine of the gourd family.
• New TaipeiA special municipality in northern Taiwan.
• Night of SevensSynonym of Qixi.
• nine-dash lineA set of line segments on various maps that have accompanied the claims of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China to various contested areas in the South China Sea.
• North China Seathe Yellow Sea
• no zuo no dieYou won't die if you do not seek death; you will not get into trouble if you do not seek trouble.
• Old National PronunciationThe national standard for the pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese as used by the Republic of China from 1913 to 1932.
• one country, two systemsThe mainland Chinese policy for the reunification of China as one country, with areas like Hong Kong, Macau and (unilaterally and prospectively) Taiwan with separate economic and political systems.
• Orchid IslandAn island of Taitung County, Taiwan, in the Pacific Ocean (Philippine Sea), home of the Tao (Yami) indigenous people.
• party stateA state in which power is held by a single political party.
• pause markSynonym of enumeration comma
• peach of immortalityA kind of peach believed to grant longevity to those who consume it.
• Pearl RiverA major river in southern China.
• people mountain people seaA large and packed crowd of people.
• People's Liberation ArmyPeople's Liberation Army Ground Force, the army branch of the military arm of the People's Republic of China.
• People's Republic of ChinaOfficial name of China: a country in East Asia.
• picking quarrels and provoking troubleA crime and administrative offence known for being vague, mainly concerning breaching the peace by creating a disturbance in a public place.
• pineapple bunA sweet bun, mainly popular in Hong Kong and Macau, with a crunchy sugary topping that has a checkered pattern resembling the epicarp of a pineapple.
• plum sauceA viscous, sweet-and-sour condiment made from plums, vinegar, ginger, etc., used in Cantonese cuisine as a dip for deep-fried dishes.
• Pure Brightness FestivalSynonym of Tomb Sweeping Day.
• pure landThe celestial realm or pure abode of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism.
• Puxian MinA Sinitic language, spoken in the eastern part of Fujian, mainly in Putian City
• rattan pepperZanthoxylum armatum, an Asian shrub, whose seeds are used as a spice.
• Red BeachAn island beach in Akrotiri, island of Santorini, Greece; named for is red lava rock cliffs.
• red-crowned craneGrus japonensis, a bird of the crane (Gruidae) family, native to East Asia
• red envelopeIn Chinese communities, a decorated paper envelope, traditionally red, containing a gift of money (lucky money) presented during special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and the Chinese New Year; also, the gift of money presented in such an envelope.
• RedNoteChinese social networking and e-commerce platform.
• red packetSynonym of red envelope.
• red teaA tisane (herbal tea) beverage made from various bush plants native to southern Africa, especially rooibos or honeybush.
• scallion pancakeA Chinese savory, unleavened pancake folded with oil and green scallions.
• silver trainIn China, a railway train assigned to take elderly retirees on touristic trips to underdeveloped areas whose economies will benefit from the spending.
• Singles' DayNovember 11th, a day for shopping and celebrating not being in a relationship, originating in China, the shopping event has spread worldwide.
• Small Flowery MiaoA Hmongic language spoken in China.
• snake wineAn Asian alcoholic beverage produced by infusing whole snakes in rice wine or grain alcohol, and traditionally believed to have curative effects.
• snuff bottleA bottle used by the Chinese during the Qing dynasty to hold powdered tobacco.
• South ChinaSouthern China.
• South TibetUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see south, Tibet. (the southern part of Tibet)
• space oilA type of electronic cigarette liquid typically containing etomidate.
• sparrow dominoesThe game of mahjong.
• spirit tabletspirit tablet; ancestral tablet; memorial tablet (tombstone tablet with the name and details of the deceased or an ancestor inscribed on it, usually found in Chinese or generally East Asian columbariums)