Chinese

[/ˈtʃaɪˈniːz/]
adjective/nounpl: Chinese (noun: people); N/A (adjective)
chinês/chinesa
1. Relating to China, its people, culture, or language
She studies Chinese history and philosophy.
Ela estuda história e filosofia chinesa.
2. A person from China or of Chinese descent
My neighbor is Chinese and speaks Mandarin fluently.
Minha vizinha é chinesa e fala mandarim com fluência.
3. The language spoken in China (including Mandarin, Cantonese, etc.)
Learning Chinese requires memorizing thousands of characters.
Aprender chinês requer memorizar milhares de caracteres.
4. Chinese food or cuisine
We ordered Chinese takeout for dinner.
Pedimos comida chinesa para viagem para o jantar.
In Brazil, 'comida chinesa' (Chinese food) is very popular and widespread, with numerous Chinese restaurants in major cities. The Chinese diaspora in Brazil, particularly in São Paulo, is significant. In the USA, Chinese immigrants have a long history, and 'Chinese food' has become deeply integrated into American cuisine, though often adapted to American tastes (e.g., General Tso's chicken). The term should always be used respectfully when referring to people.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
Sino-Oriental (dated/offensive)from China

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
chinês/chinesa
Standard term used throughout Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
chinês/chinesa
Common usage; also refers to Chinese restaurants and food
São Paulo
chinês/chinesa
Standard usage; large Chinese immigrant community influences usage
Portugal
chinês/chinesa
Identical to Brazilian Portuguese; also 'comida chinesa' for Chinese food

Related Words

ChinaMandarinCantoneseSinoAsianEast Asian

Related Idioms & Phrases

Chinese whispers (telephone game -传话游戏)
It's all Chinese to me (something incomprehensible)
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