shanghai: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low / ArchaicInformal, historical
Quick answer
What does “shanghai” mean?
To force or coerce someone into doing something, especially to compel someone to serve as a sailor aboard a ship by trickery or force.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To force or coerce someone into doing something, especially to compel someone to serve as a sailor aboard a ship by trickery or force.
To coerce, trick, or press-gang someone into any undesirable situation or course of action.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The core meaning is identical in both varieties, but the term is slightly more likely to be recognized in its historical sense in BrE. The verb form is used in both.
Connotations
Strongly negative, implying underhandedness and force. It carries a historical or slightly archaic flavour in modern usage.
Frequency
Low frequency in both. More common in historical texts or as a deliberate stylistic choice in narrative.
Grammar
How to Use “shanghai” in a Sentence
Subject + shanghai + Object (Person) (e.g., They shanghaied him.)Subject + shanghai + Object (Person) + into + -ing clause (e.g., She shanghaied me into organising the party.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “shanghai” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- In the 1800s, unscrupulous captains would often shanghai drunken men from dockside pubs.
- I feel like I've been shanghaied into joining this committee without being asked.
American English
- He claimed he was shanghaied into signing the contract after a very late-night meeting.
- The old movie plot involved villains trying to shanghai the hero onto a cargo ship.
adverb
British English
- *Note: Not standardly used as an adverb.*
American English
- *Note: Not standardly used as an adverb.*
adjective
British English
- *Note: Not standardly used as an adjective.*
American English
- *Note: Not standardly used as an adjective.*
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. May appear metaphorically: 'The new manager shanghaied the entire marketing team into working over the weekend.'
Academic
Used in historical or sociological texts discussing 19th-century maritime labour practices.
Everyday
Used humorously or hyperbolically to complain about being forced into an unwanted task: 'My neighbour shanghaied me into helping him move his sofa.'
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “shanghai”
- Using it as a noun to mean a person from Shanghai. Incorrect: 'He is a shanghai.' Correct: 'He is Shanghainese.'
- Confusing it with a similar-sounding but unrelated word like 'shenanigan'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It comes from the name of the Chinese port city, Shanghai. In the 19th century, ships needing crews would often use force or trickery to get men onto ships bound for long voyages, with Shanghai being a common and distant destination.
No, it is considered low-frequency and somewhat archaic. It is mostly used for historical reference or in a figurative, humorous way in modern informal contexts.
Yes. While historically specific, its modern use is almost entirely figurative. You can be 'shanghaied' into organising a party, joining a club, or taking on extra work.
The most common mistake is interpreting it as a noun referring to a person or thing from Shanghai. It is primarily a verb with a negative meaning of coercion.
To force or coerce someone into doing something, especially to compel someone to serve as a sailor aboard a ship by trickery or force.
Shanghai is usually informal, historical in register.
Shanghai: in British English it is pronounced /ʃæŋˈhaɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ʃæŋˈhaɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “shanghai someone into doing something”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the port of Shanghai, where sailors were historically kidnapped. To be 'shanghaied' is to be taken somewhere (or into something) against your will, just like those sailors.
Conceptual Metaphor
COERCION IS KIDNAPPING / FORCED JOURNEY.
Practice
Quiz
In its original, historical sense, what did it mean to 'shanghai' someone?