Chinese

noun

Chi·​nese chī-ˈnēz How to pronounce Chinese (audio) -ˈnēs How to pronounce Chinese (audio)
plural Chinese
1
a
: a native or inhabitant of China
b
: a person of Chinese descent
2
: a group of related languages used by the people of China that are often mutually unintelligible in their spoken form but share a single system of writing and that constitute a branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family
especially : mandarin
Chinese adjective

Examples of Chinese in a Sentence

the customs of the Chinese He is learning to speak Chinese.
Recent Examples on the Web Can Chinese Film Go Global? Over the past decade, China’s film regulators’ long-running strategy of leveraging Hollywood movie product and know-how to help build out their domestic industry has gone stunningly to plan. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 In these programs, students spend half the day learning in English and half the day learning in another language, typically Spanish or Mandarin Chinese. Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 One recently accepted an endorsement from someone who ardently backed Chinese Communist Party Confucius Institutes in American schools. Israel? Michelle Steel, Orange County Register, 8 Mar. 2024 Hong says that his Feb. 22 ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre, in which his hands and feet were immortalized in cement, came close to being a chance to see his castmates again. Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 But Down Under, little stands in the way of BYD and rival Chinese EV makers. Steve Mollman, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2024 In 2022, Trump claimed Youngkin couldn’t have won without him and suggested the governor’s name sounded Chinese. Gregory S. Schneider, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 The first memorable political TV moment for many Chinese was in November 1987. Li Yuan, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 There are six books in this series, all of which have bilingual settings and can alternate between English and Spanish or English and Chinese. Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Chinese.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of Chinese was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near Chinese

Cite this Entry

“Chinese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Chinese. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Chinese

noun
Chi·​nese chī-ˈnēz How to pronounce Chinese (audio) -ˈnēs How to pronounce Chinese (audio)
plural Chinese
1
a
: a person born or living in China
b
: a person of Chinese ancestry
2
: a group of related languages used in China
Chinese adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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