Chinese

comparative more Chinese · superlative most Chinese

1. not comparableusuallyOf, from, or related to China, particularly now the People's Republic of China.

   China has been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party since 1949.

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   In this instance, when the Chairman of the "Accuracy in Media" spoke out strongly against the Chinese Communist system of "pin yin" spelling, he was not criticizing any bias or unreliability of news presentation but specifically the inconvenience and confusion caused by the "pin yin" spelling of Chinese names.

   1980 November 30, “Communist China's 'Pin Yin' system causes confusion among foreigners”, in Free China Weekly, volume XXI, number 47, Taipei, page 1

   Experts told CNN it could take weeks to address the vulnerabilities and that suspected Chinese hackers are already attempting to exploit it.

   2021 December 13, Sean Lyngaas, “US warns hundreds of millions of devices at risk from newly revealed software vulnerability”, in CNN

2. not comparableusuallyOf, from, or related to the people of China, particularly the Han Chinese and their culture whether in China or overseas.

   Important Chinese holidays celebrated around the world include the Chinese New Year ("Spring Festival"), Tomb Sweeping Day, and the Mid-Autumn Festival.

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   In the early 1870’s anti-Chinese agitation in California became organized and focused under the leadership of Denis Kearney, who was, ironically, an immigrant from Ireland. A campaign of organized violence against Chinese communities took form, and the hysteria led to political pressure too violent to be resisted. President Hayes vetoed an act of Congress restricting Chinese immigration, but he did force renegotiation of the Burlingame Treaty under which the government of China agreed to restrict emigration voluntarily.

   1964, John F. Kennedy, A Nation of Immigrants, Revised and Enlarged edition, Harper & Row, →LCCN, →OCLC, pages 72–73

3. not comparableusuallyOf, from, or related to a language native to Han Chinese persons, often used generally of Chinese characters or particularly to refer to Standard Mandarin.

   There are four Chinese tones... five, if you count the neutral one.

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   The construction of a verbal system which is fairly regular and at the same time based on existing languages is a most difficult task, because in no other domain of the grammar do languages retain a greater number of ancient irregularities and differ more fundamentally from one another. Still an attempt will be made here to conciliate the two points of view and to bring about something which resembles the simple Chinese grammar without, however, losing its European character or the power of expressing nuances to which we are accustomed in our own languages.

   1928, Otto Jespersen, An International Language, page 82

   The DPRK (Joseon Minjujui Inmin Konghuaguk 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國) is read in Chinese as Chaoxian minzhu zhuyi renmin gonghe guo, and its capital, Pyeonyang, is pronounced Pingrang 平壤.

   2012, Endymion Wilkinson, “Introduction”, in Chinese History: A New Manual, 3rd revised edition, Harvard University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 14

4. not comparableoffensivesometimesusuallyAs exotic, unusual, backwards, or unorganized as someone or something from China.

   It's all Chinese to me.

5. not comparableoffensivesometimesusuallyUsed with a noun to indicate a referent different from, and seemingly more exotic or unusual than, the base noun's referent.

   Chinese apple, Chinese checkers, Chinese snooker

6. datednot comparableoffensiveusuallyHaving barn doors with a horizontal orientation.

1. uncountableThe Standard Chinese language, written in Chinese characters and spoken and spelled using Standard Mandarin pronunciation.

   你好 is read “Nǐ hǎo” and means “Hello” in Chinese.

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   The resulting Belter creole is a crazy mix of English, Chinese, romance languages like French, German, Persian, Hebrew, Zulu, and a few other surprises. Farmer says he has over 1,000 Belter words in his personal dictionary, and he keeps adding more as the show’s producers and fans request them.

   2019 December 22, Annalee Newitz and Cyrus Farivar, “Nick Farmer knows dozens of languages, so he invented one for The Expanse”, in Ars Technica

   Synonyms: Putonghua, Guoyu, Huayu, Guanhua, Hanyu, Zhongwen

2. uncountableThe branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family including Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese, Southern Min, and other closely related language varieties and dialects.

   Suzhounese and Hakka are lesser-known varieties of Chinese.

3. uncountableThe logographic writing system shared by most Sinitic languages.

   Hong Kong still uses traditional Chinese.

plural Chineses

1. countablein pluralA native, inhabitant, or citizen of China, particularly of the People's Republic of China.

   The Chinese have an incredible history.

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   If the Chinese were a people like the Russians, the Germans or the French, we (I address chiefly American and British readers) would observe any marked increase in their industrial activity or in their national aggressiveness with some misgiving, possibly, but […]

   1900, Jared Sparks, Edward Everett, Henry Cabot Lodge, The North American Review, volume 171, page 390

   I have given these points to make it clear that the Chinese are a people of strong emotion; and that this emotion is highest and purest when running in the channels of filial piety and loyalty.

   1934, Chinese Affairs, volume 65, page 23

   After Pearl Harbor, American sympathy for the Chinese grew even stronger, for the Chinese were a people who had long been bravely resisting Japanese aggressors.

   2002, Sino-American Relations, volume 28, page 60

   China is a country with a 5,000 year uninterrupted civilisation, and the Chinese are a people that keep moving forward amid trials and tribulations.

   2019 September 30, Jiang Jiang, “I am proud of my country”, in Times of Malta

2. countablein pluralA member of the Han Chinese ethnic group, whether in China or overseas.

   The Chinese are present in all parts of the world.

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   And the Iaponians, are longer liv’d, than the Chineſes; […]

   1638, Francis [Bacon], translated by W[illiam] R[awley], “Length and Shortnesse of Life in Man. The Historie.”, in History Naturall and Experimentall, of Life and Death. Or Of the Prolongation of Life. […], London: […] Iohn Haviland for William Lee, and Humphrey Mosley, →OCLC, paragraph 25, page 141

   If the Chineſe had Liberty to ſettle in Formoſa, ſeveral Families would gladly tranſplant themſelves thither ; but in order thereto they muſt obtain Paſsports from the Mandarins of China, who grant them with Difficulty, and not without taking Security. The Mandarins are very careful to examine all that paſs into or out of the Iſland, and ſome of them extort Money under-hand. This extraordinary Precaution is the Effect of good Policy eſpecially as the Tartars are Maſters of China ; for Formoſa is a Place of great Importance, and if a Chineſe ſhould ſeize it, he might raiſe great Troubles in the Empire : ſo that the Emperor keeps a Garriſon there of ten thouſand Men, commanded by a Tſong-ping, or Lieutenant-General, two Fû-tſyang, or Major-General, and ſeveral inferior Officers; who are chang’d duely every three years, or oftner, if there be Occaſion.

   1738, J. B. Du Halde, “PROVINCE IV. FO-KYEN.”, in A Description of the Empire of China and Chinese-Tartary, Together with the Kingdoms of Korea, and Tibet, volume I, London, →OCLC, page 88

   But I had the unmitigated pleasure of watching a family of four Chinese struggle to use knives and forks to [eat] their bacon and eggs.

   1999, Lydia Laube, Bound for Vietnam, →ISBN, page 24

3. abbreviationellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Chinese cuisine.

   Please don't eat the Chinese. I'm saving it for later.

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   "Do you like to eat Chinese?

   1958, A.G. Yates, The Cold Dark Hours, Sydney: Horwitz, published 1963, page 73

   I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fook's Gonna get a big dish of beef chow mein.

   1978, “Werewolves of London”, in Warren Zevon, LeRoy Marinell and Waddy Wachtel (music), Excitable Boy, performed by Warren Zevon

4. UKabbreviationcolloquialcountableellipsisEllipsis of Chinese meal (“meal consisting of Chinese cuisine”).

   We're going out tonight for a Chinese.

5. UKabbreviationcolloquialcountableellipsisEllipsis of Chinese restaurant (“restaurant serving Chinese cuisine”).

   Want to go to the Chinese after work?