There are few English words with a Chinese origin. Most of these loan words refer to Chinese
objects and concepts such as feng shui and coolie. However, a few, such as gung ho and tycoon have evolved into mainstream
usage. Many of the Chinese loan words made into the English language
as pronounced in the Cantonese or Amoy dialect because the early
contact between the two cultures happened along the southern
Chinese ports of call or through the mostly Cantonese immigrants.
In addition many of the Japanese words, such as judo or shinto,
that were adopted into the English language have a Chinese origin.
| English |
Chinese Source |
Literal Meaning |
Remarks |
| Bok choy |
白菜 |
White vegetable |
(Via Cantonese baak choi) |
| Bonsai |
盆栽 |
Bowl plant |
(Via Japanese) |
| Cheongsam |
長衫 |
Long dress |
(Via Cantonese cheung sam) The same dress is known as a qipao (旗袍) in Mandarin |
| China |
秦 |
Name of the Qin dynasty |
The West appears to have named China after the first dynasty to unify the country.
The Chinese call their country zhong guo (中國) or Central
Country. |
| Chop chop |
急 |
Hurried |
(Via Cantonese gap) |
| Chop suey |
雜碎 |
Miscellaneous bits |
(Via Cantonese jaap seui) |
| Chow |
炒 |
Fried (food) |
|
| Chow chow |
狗狗 |
Doggie |
A dog breed |
| Chow mein |
炒麵 |
Fried noodle |
(Via Cantonese chaau mein) |
| Coolie |
苦力 |
Bitter power |
|
| Cumshaw |
感謝 |
Grateful thanks |
(Via Amoy dialect) |
| Dimsum |
點心 |
Pointing to the heart |
(Via Cantonese dim sam) |
| Feng shui |
風水 |
Wind and water |
|
| Gingkgo |
銀杏 |
|
(Via Japanese) |
| Ginseng |
人葠 |
|
(Via Cantonese yan sam) |
| Gung ho |
工和 |
Work together in harmony |
From motto of some US Marine forces in Asia during WW II |
| Japan |
日本 |
Source of the sun |
|
| J-particle |
丁 |
(A surname) |
The J-particle is a subatomic particle named after its discoverer, Samuel C.C.
Ting (丁肇中). The letter J resembles the shape of Ting's last name (丁). |
| Judo |
柔道 |
Gentle Way |
(Via Japanese) |
| Junk |
船 |
Boat |
(Via Malay) |
| Kanji |
漢字 |
Chinese characters |
(Via Japanese) |
| Kaolin |
高嶺 |
Tall mountain peak |
Name of area of Jiangxi province famed for its white porcelain powder |
| Ketchup |
茄汁 |
Tomato sauce |
(Via Cantonese ke jap). Most dictionaries actually list the source of the word
as being a Chinese or Malay word meaning fish sauce.
They ignore the more direct route: the Cantonese word
which sounds like ketchup and which actually means
tomato sauce. Duh. (In mandarin, ketchup is called 番茄醬) |
| Kowtow |
叩頭 |
Knock head |
|
| Kumquat |
金橘 |
Golden orange |
(Via Cantonese gam gwat) |
| Kungfu |
功夫 |
|
|
| Lose face |
丟臉 |
Lose face |
Literal translation of the chinese phrase menaing humiliation |
| Loquat |
盧橘 |
|
(Via Cantonese lou gwat). Mandarin name is pipa (枇杷) |
| Lychee |
荔枝 |
|
(Via Cantonese lai ji) |
| Mahjong |
麻將 |
|
|
| Oolong |
烏龍 |
Black dragon |
A type of tea |
| Pekoe |
白毫
|
White down feather |
(Via Amoy dialect) A type of tea. |
| Pinyin |
拼音 |
Sound spelling |
|
| Ricksha |
力車 |
(Human-) Powered vehicle |
(Via Japanese) Short for 人力車 or human-powered vehicle |
| Sampan |
舢舨 |
|
|
| Shanghai |
上海 |
Northern Sea |
Used in English as a verb meaning to abduct (Presumably from prior
practive by San Francisco boat captains of kidnapping men
in order to press them into service in Shanghai bound boats.) |
| Shaman |
沙門 |
Sand door |
|
| Shaolin |
少林 |
Small forest |
|
| Shinto |
神道 |
Saintly way |
|
| Silk |
絲 |
Silk |
|
| Shogun |
將軍 |
Army General |
|
| Soy (sauce) |
醬油 |
|
(Via Japanese shoyu) |
| Tai chi |
太極 |
Ultimate |
|
| Tai chi chuan |
太極拳 |
Ultimate boxing |
|
| Taipan |
大班 |
Big boss |
(Via Cantonese daai baan) |
| Tangram |
湯 + gram |
Chinese picture |
Tang, the name of one of China's most successful dynasties is used to denote
the Chinese people. |
| Tao (Dao) |
道 |
Way |
|
| Tea |
茶 |
Tea |
(Via Amoy dialect) |
| Tofu |
豆腐 |
Bean curd |
|
| Tycoon |
大官 |
Great official |
(Via Japanese) |
| Typhoon |
颱風 |
Hurricane |
|
| Wok |
鑊 |
Cauldron |
(Via Cantonese wok) |
| Wonton |
餛飩 |
|
(Via Cantonese wan tan) |
| Wushu |
武術 |
|
|
| Yamen |
衙門 |
Official door |
|
| Yen |
癮 |
Craving |
To yearn |
| Yen |
圓 |
Monetary unit |
(Via Japanese) Japanese money |
| Yin Yang |
陰陽 |
|
|
