Manchu

Man·chu

noun \ˈman-(ˌ)chü, man-ˈ\

plural Manchu or Manchus

Definition of MANCHU

1

: a member of an indigenous people of Manchuria who conquered China and established a dynasty there in 1644

2

: the Tungusic language of the Manchu people

— Manchu adjective

Origin of MANCHU

ultimately from Manchu manju, a self-designation

First Known Use: 1697

Manchu

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

People, many of Juchen ancestry, who acquired a Manchu identity in the 17th century before conquering Ming China and forming the Qing dynasty (1644–1911/12). Though official policy aimed to maintain the Manchu as a distinct people, this did not prevent considerable intermarriage and adoption of Chinese customs in areas of maximum contact with Chinese. China today recognizes the Manchu as a distinct ethnic group; its more than 10 million members live mainly in northeastern China.