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 The storied boulevard — home to the Academy Awards, TCL Chinese Theatre and the Walk of Fame — is getting a makeover. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 As previously announced, the April 18-21 festival will open with a 35mm screening of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994) at the TCL Chinese Theatre, and John Travolta will be there. Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2024 Renault has become the latest EV group to place itself on a war footing with Chinese Tesla-killer BYD, and the French carmaker’s boss is harking back to the 1940s for a plan to help Europe’s carmakers fight off rising threats from the Far East. Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 21 Mar. 2024 Most of the takers were Chinese seeking better jobs, better schools and greater freedom. Joy Dong, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 At that time, most diners were only familiar with the much more common Southern Chinese cooking out of Chinatown. Lucas Sin, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2024 Hui founded Evergrande in 1996, and the company grew as China’s economy boomed and more Chinese turned to property as an investment. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 19 Mar. 2024 Shanahan received her bachelor's degree from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, studying Asian Studies, Economics and Mandarin Chinese. USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024 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

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 29 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!