Balin stone

noun

A type of pyrophyllite from Inner Mongolia; traditionally used in the Chinese art of seal engraving.

Originmnc ᠪᠠᡵᡳᠨ ← Middle Mongol ᠪᠠᠭᠠᠷᠢᠨ →
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Meanings

nounBalin stone (uncountable)
  1. uncountablechemistryA type of pyrophyllite from Inner Mongolia; traditionally used in the Chinese art of seal engraving.

Origin

  1. Middle Mongolᠪᠠᠭᠠᠷᠢᠨ
  2. mncᠪᠠᡵᡳᠨ
  3. EnglishBalin stone

Calque from Chinese 巴林石 (bālínshí), from 巴林 (Bālín, “Baarin (a southern Mongolian tribe)”) + 石 (shí, “stone”), from Manchu ᠪᠠᡵᡳᠨ (barin), from Middle Mongol ᠪᠠᠭᠠᠷᠢᠨ (baɣarin), so named for being quarried in the traditional territory of the Baarins.

More words from mnc, Middle Mongol

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Cite this entry
APA

Balin stone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Balin%20stone

MLA

“Balin stone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Balin%20stone. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Balin stone,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Balin%20stone.

Source: Balin stone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.