Chineseとは 意味・読み方・使い方

語源

From China +‎ -ese under influence of Portuguese chinês, replacing older Chinish. Doublet of chinois. In its orientalist sense of "generically exotic, backwards, or poorly organized", sometimes a deliberate marketing strategy to increase sales, as with the German Chinese checkers. In its sense related to the orientation of stage lighting's barn doors, a reference to a supposed resemblance to East Asian eyes.

発音

• (英国発音) IPA: /t͡ʃaɪˈniːz/; (sometimes) IPA: /ˈt͡ʃaɪniːz/
• (米国発音) IPA: /ˌt͡ʃaɪˈniz/; (sometimes) IPA: /ˈt͡ʃaɪˌniz/
• (Canada, idle-idol split) IPA: /ˌt͡ʃʌɪˈniz/, /ˈt͡ʃʌɪˌniz/
  • (Ontario) IPA: [(ˌ)t͡ʃəɪˈniːz], [ˈt͡ʃəɪˌniːz]
• 韻: -iːz

形容詞

Chinese (not generally comparable, comparative more Chinese, superlative most Chinese)

1. Of, from, or related to China, particularly now the People's Republic of China.

   China has been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party since 1949.

   • 1980 November 30, “Communist China's 'Pin Yin' system causes confusion among foreigners”, in Free China Weekly‎, volume XXI, number 47, Taipei, page 1:

     In this instance, when the Chairman of the "Accuracy in Media" spoke out strongly against the Chinese Communist system of "pin yin" spelling, he was not criticizing any bias or unreliability of news presentation but specifically the inconvenience and confusion caused by the "pin yin" spelling of Chinese names.

   • 2021 December 13, Sean Lyngaas, “US warns hundreds of millions of devices at risk from newly revealed software vulnerability”, in CNN‎:

     Experts told CNN it could take weeks to address the vulnerabilities and that suspected Chinese hackers are already attempting to exploit it.

2. Of, from, or related to the people of China, particularly the Han Chinese and their culture whether in China or overseas.

   Important Chinese holidays celebrated around the world include the Chinese New Year ("Spring Festival"), Tomb Sweeping Day, and the Mid-Autumn Festival.

   • 1964, John F. Kennedy, A Nation of Immigrants‎, Revised and Enlarged edition, Harper & Row, →LCCN, →OCLC, pages 72–73:

     In the early 1870’s anti-Chinese agitation in California became organized and focused under the leadership of Denis Kearney, who was, ironically, an immigrant from Ireland. A campaign of organized violence against Chinese communities took form, and the hysteria led to political pressure too violent to be resisted. President Hayes vetoed an act of Congress restricting Chinese immigration, but he did force renegotiation of the Burlingame Treaty under which the government of China agreed to restrict emigration voluntarily.

3. Of, from, or related to a language native to Han Chinese persons, often used generally of Chinese characters or particularly to refer to Standard Mandarin.

   There are four Chinese tones... five, if you count the neutral one.

   • 1928, Otto Jespersen, An International Language, page 82:

     The construction of a verbal system which is fairly regular and at the same time based on existing languages is a most difficult task, because in no other domain of the grammar do languages retain a greater number of ancient irregularities and differ more fundamentally from one another. Still an attempt will be made here to conciliate the two points of view and to bring about something which resembles the simple Chinese grammar without, however, losing its European character or the power of expressing nuances to which we are accustomed in our own languages.

   • 2012, Endymion Wilkinson, “Introduction”, in Chinese History: A New Manual‎, 3rd revised edition, Harvard University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 14:

     The DPRK (Joseon Minjujui Inmin Konghuaguk 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國) is read in Chinese as Chaoxian minzhu zhuyi renmin gonghe guo, and its capital, Pyeonyang, is pronounced Pingrang 平壤.

4. (sometimes offensive) As exotic, unusual, backwards, or unorganized as someone or something from China.

   It's all Chinese to me.

5. (non-subsective, prepositive, in set phrases, sometimes offensive) Used with a noun to indicate a referent different from, and seemingly more exotic or unusual than, the base noun's referent.

   Chinese apple, Chinese checkers, Chinese snooker

6. (of film and video lighting, offensive, dated) Having barn doors with a horizontal orientation.

   Coordinate term: English

同意語

• (of China, its language or people): Sinic, Sino- (prefix); Seric, Serian, Serican, Sinaean, Sinesian, Cathayan (historical or archaic); Chinesian (archaic or jocular)

下位語

派生語

固有名詞

Chinese

1. (uncountable, collective) The citizens of China, particularly citizens of the People's Republic of China.

   The Chinese have an incredible history.

   • 1900, Jared Sparks, Edward Everett, Henry Cabot Lodge, The North American Review, volume 171, page 390:

     If the Chinese were a people like the Russians, the Germans or the French, we (I address chiefly American and British readers) would observe any marked increase in their industrial activity or in their national aggressiveness with some misgiving, possibly, but […]

   • 1934, Chinese Affairs, volume 65, page 23:

     I have given these points to make it clear that the Chinese are a people of strong emotion; and that this emotion is highest and purest when running in the channels of filial piety and loyalty.

   • 2002, Sino-American Relations, volume 28, page 60:

     After Pearl Harbor, American sympathy for the Chinese grew even stronger, for the Chinese were a people who had long been bravely resisting Japanese aggressors.

   • 2019 September 30, Jiang Jiang, “I am proud of my country”, in Times of Malta:

     China is a country with a 5,000 year uninterrupted civilisation, and the Chinese are a people that keep moving forward amid trials and tribulations.

2. (uncountable, collective) The Han Chinese, whether in China or overseas.

   The Chinese are present in all parts of the world.

3. (uncountable) The Standard Chinese language, written in Chinese characters and spoken and spelled using Standard Mandarin pronunciation.

   你好 is read “Nǐ hǎo” and means “Hello” in Chinese.

   • 2019 December 22, Annalee Newitz and Cyrus Farivar, “Nick Farmer knows dozens of languages, so he invented one for The Expanse”, in Ars Technica‎:

     The resulting Belter creole is a crazy mix of English, Chinese, romance languages like French, German, Persian, Hebrew, Zulu, and a few other surprises. Farmer says he has over 1,000 Belter words in his personal dictionary, and he keeps adding more as the show’s producers and fans request them.

4. (uncountable) The branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family including Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese, Southern Min, and other closely related language varieties and dialects.

   Suzhounese and Hakka are lesser-known varieties of Chinese.

5. (uncountable) The logographic writing system shared by most Sinitic languages.

   Hong Kong still uses traditional Chinese.

同意語

• (People of China): Seres, Sinae, Cathayans, Serians, Sinaeans, Sericans (historical or archaic); Chinesians (archaic or jocular)
• (Standard Chinese): Putonghua, Guoyu, Huayu, Guanhua, Hanyu, Zhongwen

派生語

名詞

Chinese (countable and uncountable, plural Chinese or Chineses)

1. (countable, chiefly in the plural) A person from China or of Chinese descent.
   • 1638, Francis [Bacon], translated by W[illiam] R[awley], “Length and Shortnesse of Life in Man. The Historie.”, in History Naturall and Experimentall, of Life and Death. Or Of the Prolongation of Life. […], London: […] Iohn Haviland for William Lee, and Humphrey Mosley, →OCLC, paragraph 25, page 141:

     And the Iaponians, are longer liv’d, than the Chineſes; […]

   • 1738, J. B. Du Halde, “PROVINCE IV. FO-KYEN.”, in A Description of the Empire of China and Chinese-Tartary, Together with the Kingdoms of Korea, and Tibet‎, volume I, London, →OCLC, page 88:

     If the Chineſe had Liberty to ſettle in Formoſa, ſeveral Families would gladly tranſplant themſelves thither ; but in order thereto they muſt obtain Paſsports from the Mandarins of China, who grant them with Difficulty, and not without taking Security.
     The Mandarins are very careful to examine all that paſs into or out of the Iſland, and ſome of them extort Money under-hand. This extraordinary Precaution is the Effect of good Policy eſpecially as the Tartars are Maſters of China ; for Formoſa is a Place of great Importance, and if a Chineſe ſhould ſeize it, he might raiſe great Troubles in the Empire : ſo that the Emperor keeps a Garriſon there of ten thouſand Men, commanded by a Tſong-ping, or Lieutenant-General, two Fû-tſyang, or Major-General, and ſeveral inferior Officers; who are chang’d duely every three years, or oftner, if there be Occaſion.

   • 1999, Lydia Laube, Bound for Vietnam‎, →ISBN, page 24:

     But I had the unmitigated pleasure of watching a family of four Chinese struggle to use knives and forks to [eat] their bacon and eggs.

2. (uncountable) Ellipsis of Chinese cuisine.

   Please don't eat the Chinese. I'm saving it for later.

   • 1958, A.G. Yates, The Cold Dark Hours, Sydney: Horwitz, published 1963, page 73:

     "Do you like to eat Chinese?

3. (UK, countable, colloquial) Ellipsis of Chinese meal (“meal consisting of Chinese cuisine”).

   We're going out tonight for a Chinese.

4. (UK, countable, colloquial) Ellipsis of Chinese restaurant (“restaurant serving Chinese cuisine”).

   Want to go to the Chinese after work?

使用する際の注意点

As with other terms for people formed with -ese, the countable singular noun in reference to a person (as in "I am a Chinese", "writing about Chinese cuisine as a Chinese") is uncommon and often taken as grammatically incorrect. In its place, the adjective is used, by itself (as in "I am Chinese") or before a noun like person, man, or woman ("writing about Chinese cuisine as a Chinese person"). See also -ish, which is similarly only primarily used as an adjective or as a plural noun. However, -ese used in this sense is rather frequent in East Asia as a translation.

同意語

• (Chinese person): Han (ethnic Chinese regardless of the residence), Chinaman (properly of a man only, now usually considered an offensive slur); Chinee (archaic, offensive); chink (offensive slur); Sinese, Chinean, Chinian, Chinish (rare, archaic); Serian, Serican, Sinaeans, Cathayan (historical or archaic); Chinesian (archaic or jocular)

関連する語

派生した語

• → Malay: cainis

参考

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Chinese terms

参照

• “Chinese”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• ISO 639-1 code zh, ISO 639-3 code zho (SIL)
• Ethnologue entry for Chinese, zho ⁠, a language family including:

アナグラム

• Chinees, Eischen, seechin'