Chinese cinnamon
noun
: the dried bark of a southeast Asian tree (Cinnamomum cassia synonym C. aromaticum) that yields a somewhat sweet and spicy variety of cassia sold as cinnamon
also
: the powdered spice produced from Chinese cinnamon bark compare ceylon cinnamon, indonesian cinnamon, saigon cinnamon
Examples of Chinese cinnamon in a Sentence
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Sweet spices — maybe Chinese cinnamon?
—
Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2021
Other Cinnamomum species that are cultivated for commercial purposes are C. burmannii (Indonesian cinnamon), C. loureiroi (Saigon cinnamon or Vietnamese cinnamon), and C. cassia (Cassia or Chinese cinnamon) [1].
—Alice Chi Phung, Discover Magazine, 27 May 2014
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Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2021
Other Cinnamomum species that are cultivated for commercial purposes are C. burmannii (Indonesian cinnamon), C. loureiroi (Saigon cinnamon or Vietnamese cinnamon), and C. cassia (Cassia or Chinese cinnamon) [1].
—Alice Chi Phung, Discover Magazine, 27 May 2014
Cite this Entry
“Chinese cinnamon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Chinese%20cinnamon. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
Chinese cinnamon
noun
Chi·nese cinnamon
chī-ˌnēz-, -ˌnēs- 
1
: the bark of a southeast Asian tree of the genus Cinnamomum (C. cassia) that is the source of cinnamon oil
called also cassia bark
2
: the tree that yields Chinese cinnamon
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