Chinese postman problem

noun

The problem of finding the shortest closed path or circuit that visits every edge of a (connected) undirected graph.

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Meanings

nounChinese postman problem (plural Chinese postman problems)

plural Chinese postman problems

  1. graph theoryThe problem of finding the shortest closed path or circuit that visits every edge of a (connected) undirected graph.

Origin

Originally studied by the Chinese mathematician Kwan Mei-Ko in 1960, whose Chinese paper was translated into English in 1962. The name "Chinese postman problem" was coined in his honour, and is varyingly ascribed to Alan J. Goldman or Jack Edmonds, both of the US National Bureau of Standards.

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Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“Chinese postman problem.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Chinese%20postman%20problem. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

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

Source: Chinese postman problem on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.