chinese: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral
Quick answer
What does “chinese” mean?
Relating to China, its people, or their languages.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Relating to China, its people, or their languages.
Can refer broadly to the culture, food, or products originating from China; also used figuratively to mean something complex or incomprehensible (as in 'It's all Chinese to me').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal differences in core meaning. The figurative idiom 'It's all Greek to me' is more common in both UK and US English than the Chinese variant.
Connotations
Neutral in most contexts, but careful usage is advised when referring to people (prefer 'Chinese people'). The figurative use can be considered outdated or potentially offensive by some.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties due to the global significance of China.
Grammar
How to Use “chinese” in a Sentence
[be] Chinese[speak/learn] Chinese[of] Chinese originVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chinese” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- We're going for a Chinese meal tonight.
- She studies Chinese philosophy.
American English
- Let's get Chinese takeout.
- He's a Chinese-American actor.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to the Chinese market, economy, or business partners.
Academic
Used in historical, cultural, linguistic, or political studies.
Everyday
Most commonly refers to food, language, or origin.
Technical
In computing/linguistics, refers to writing systems (e.g., Chinese characters).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chinese”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “chinese”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chinese”
- Using 'Chineses' as a plural (incorrect).
- Saying 'He is a Chinese' instead of 'He is Chinese' or 'He is a Chinese man'.
- Capitalization error: 'chinese' should always be capitalized.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can refer to both. It denotes citizenship (nationality) of China and also the Han Chinese ethnic group, which is the majority in China.
While not universally considered offensive, it is grammatically clumsy and often avoided in careful speech and writing. 'A Chinese person' or 'Chinese people' is preferred.
'Chinese' refers broadly to the group of Sinitic languages spoken in China. 'Mandarin' (or 'Putonghua') is the specific official standard language of China. In everyday conversation, 'Chinese' often means 'Mandarin'.
Yes, always. It is derived from a proper noun (China) and refers to a nationality, ethnicity, and language.
Relating to China, its people, or their languages.
Chinese is usually neutral in register.
Chinese: in British English it is pronounced /ˌtʃaɪˈniːz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌtʃaɪˈniːz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's all Chinese to me (meaning 'I don't understand it').”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'CHIna' and 'EaSE' - it's easy to remember 'Chinese' comes from China.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHINESE IS COMPLEX (as in the idiom).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence is grammatically correct?