chinese

A1 · Beginner Uncountable noun

n. the language spoken in China, including Mandarin and Cantonese.

n. the branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family spoken by the Han Chinese, or the logographic writing system used for these languages.

“She is learning to speak Chinese because she wants to work in Beijing.”

“Although he could speak basic Chinese, he found reading the complex characters in the newspaper quite challenging.”

A2 · Elementary Plural noun

n. people who are from China or have Chinese ancestors.

n. a collective term for citizens of China or members of the Han Chinese ethnic group.

“The Chinese have a long and rich history of invention.”

“The diaspora of the Chinese has led to vibrant communities and cultural exchanges in cities across the globe.”

A2 · Elementary Countable noun Cooking British English · Informal

n. a meal from a Chinese restaurant, or the restaurant itself.

n. a metonymic reference to Chinese cuisine, a specific meal, or an establishment serving such food.

“Do you want to stay in and order a Chinese tonight?”

“After the cinema, the group decided to head to the local Chinese for a late-night dinner.”

C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Informal

adj. an old-fashioned and rude way to describe something that is confusing or messy.

adj. a derogatory and dated usage implying that something is exotic, disorganized, or illogical.

“The instructions were so messy it felt like a Chinese puzzle.”

“The meeting descended into a bit of a Chinese parliament, with everyone talking at once and no clear leader.”