# Chinese

/tʃaɪˈniz/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/chinese
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. originating from China

adjective · CEFR A1

related to the country of China, its people, or its culture.

For teachers: relating to China, its inhabitants, or the Han ethnic group and their cultural heritage.

- We spent the afternoon looking at beautiful Chinese silk in the market.
- The exhibition showcases various Chinese dynasties, highlighting the evolution of ceramic techniques over several centuries.

### 2. the language

noun · CEFR A1

the language spoken in China, including Mandarin and Cantonese.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. the people

noun · CEFR A2

people who are from China or have Chinese ancestors.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. food or restaurant

noun · CEFR A2 · British English · Informal

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

For teachers: 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.

### 5. confusing or disorganized

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Informal

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

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Usually found in fixed idioms like 'Chinese whispers'.

Teaching tip: This sense is often considered offensive in modern contexts; learners should avoid using it to describe confusion.

## Examples

- She is learning to speak Chinese.
- The menu offers a wide variety of traditional Chinese dishes from different provinces.
- While Mandarin is the official language, many people in the southern regions speak Cantonese as their primary form of Chinese.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.