Chinese Reading Center
Chinese Loan Words in the English Language
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 | 繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp | Literal Meaning | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bok choy | 白菜 | White vegetable | (Via Cantonese baak choi) |
| Bonsai | 盆栽 | Bowl plant | (Via Japanese) |
| Cheongsam | 长衫 | Long dress | (Via Cantonese cheong 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 (中国) or Central Country. |
| Chop chop | 急 | Hurried | (Via Cantonese gap) |
| Chop suey | 杂碎 | Miscellaneous bits | (Via Cantonese jaap seui) |
| Chow | 炒 | Fried (food) | |
| Chow chow | 狗狗 | Doggie | A dog breed |
| Chow mien | 炒面 | Fried noodle | (Via Cantonese) |
| Coolie | 苦力 | Bitter power | |
| Cumshaw | 感谢 | Grateful thanks | (Via Amoy dialect) |
| Dimsum | 点心 | Pointing to the heart | (Via Cantonese) |
| Feng shui | 风水 | Wind and water | |
| Gingkgo | 银杏 | Silver almond | (Via Japanese) |
| Ginseng | 人参 | (Via Cantonese) | |
| Gung ho | 工和 | Work together in harmony | From motto of some US Marine forces in Asia during World War 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 | 汉字 | Chinese characters | (Via Japanese) |
| Kaolin | 高岭 | 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 番茄酱) |
| Kowtow | 叩头 | Knock head | |
| Kumquat | 金橘 | Golden orange | (Via Cantonese gam gwat) |
| Kungfu | 功夫 | ||
| Lose face | 丢脸 | Lose face | Literal translation of the chinese phrase menaing humiliation |
| Loquat | 卢橘 | (Via Cantonese lou gwat). Mandarin name is pipa (枇杷) | |
| Lychee | 荔枝 | (Via Cantonese lai ji) | |
| Mahjong | 麻将 | ||
| Oolong | 乌龙 | 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 | 力车 | (Human-) Powered vehicle | (Via Japanese) Short for 人力车 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 | 沙门 | Sand door | |
| Shaolin | 少林 | Small forest | |
| Shinto | 神道 | Saintly way | |
| Silk | 丝 | Silk | |
| Shogun | 将军 | Army General | |
| Soy (sauce) | 酱油 | (soy) paste oil | (Via Japanese shoyu) |
| Tai chi | 太极 | Ultimate | |
| Tai chi chuan | 太极拳 | Ultimate boxing | |
| Taipan | 大班 | Big boss | (Via Cantonese) |
| Tangram | 汤 + 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 | 台风 | Hurricane | |
| Wok | 镬 | Cauldron | (Via Cantonese) |
| Wonton | 馄饨 | (Via Cantonese) | |
| Wushu | 武术 | Martial art | |
| Yamen | 衙门 | Official door | |
| Yen | 瘾 | Craving | To yearn |
| Yen | 圆 | Monetary unit | (Via Japanese) Japanese money. Actually the Japanese yen, Chinese yuan, and Korean won come form the same Chinese word. |
| Yin Yang | 阴阳 |