English

Proper noun

Chinese

1. Any of several Sinitic languages spoken in China, especially Literary Chinese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Wu, or Min Nan.

   Peter is from Hong Kong and speaks Chinese.‎

2. The class of Sino-Tibetan dialects including Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, Min Nan and others.

   Wu and Hakka are lesser-known varieties of Chinese.‎

3. The logographic writing system shared by this language family.

   Hong Kong uses traditional Chinese.‎

4. Mandarin: the official language of the People's Republic of China

   Ni hao means "hello" in Chinese.‎

Derived terms

• (language): Classical Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Middle Chinese, Old Chinese, Standard Written Chinese, Vernacular Chinese
• (writing system): Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese

Translations

Noun

Chinese ‎(countable and uncountable, plural Chinese)

1. (uncountable) The people of China.

   The Chinese have an incredible history.

2. (uncountable) All people of Chinese descent or self-identity

   The Chinese are present in all parts of the world.

3. (countable) A person from China or of Chinese descent.
   • 1999, Lydia Laube, Bound for Vietnam, ISBN 186254462X, page 24:

     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.

4. Chinese food or meal.
   1. (Britain, countable, informal) A Chinese meal.

      We're going out tonight for a Chinese.

   2. (Britain, Canada, US, uncountable, informal) Chinese food.

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

Usage notes

As with all nationalities formed from -ese, the countable singular form ("I am a Chinese") is uncommon and often taken as incorrect, although it is rather frequent in East Asia as a translation for the demonyms written 中国人 in Chinese characters or Japanese kanji.

Synonyms

• (Chinese person): Chinaman (properly of a man only, now usually considered an offensive slur); Chinee (archaic, offensive); chink (offensive slur); Sinese (rare, historical)

Derived terms

Related terms

• China
• Chinean, Chinian
• Chinish
• Chinesery
• Chinesian

Translations

Adjective

Chinese ‎(not comparable)

1. Of China, its languages or people
   • 1928, Otto Jespersen, An International Language, page 82

     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.

2. Exotic; unfamiliar; unexpected; used in phrases such as Chinese whispers, Chinese handcuffs, and Chinese checkers.

Derived terms

• Chinese checkers
• Chinese handcuffs
• Chinese lantern
• Chinese paper
• Chinese room
• Chinese wax
• Chinese whispers

Synonyms

• (of China, its language or people): Sinic, Sino- (prefix)

Translations

See also

• Wiktionary's coverage of Chinese terms
• Putonghua
• Guoyu
• Huayu
• Guanhua
• Hanyu
• Zhongwen

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃi.ˈneː.sə/
• Hyphenation: Chi‧ne‧se

Etymology

From Chinees +‎ -e

Noun

Chinese f ‎(plural Chinesen, masculine Chinees)

1. female person from China

Related terms

• China n (China)
• Chinees m (person from China, male or female)
• Chinees n (the Chinese language)

Anagrams

• Chinees

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /çiˈneːzə/

Noun

Chinese m ‎(genitive Chinesen, plural Chinesen)

1. person from China

Declension

Related terms

• Chinesin f (female person from China)

Corsican

Noun

chinese

1. Chinese