Lesson 3 - Loan Words
(1) 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 ______ and ______. 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 ______ or______, that
were adopted into the English language have a Chinese origin.
English
Chinese Literal
Source Meaning
Remarks
1.
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
2.
秦
Name of the The West appears to have named China
Qin dynasty after the first dynasty to unify the country.
The Chinese call their country zhong guo
(中國) or Central Country.
Chow chow
狗狗
Doggie
A dog breed
3.
炒麵
Fried
noodle
(Via Cantonese chaau mein)
4.
苦力
Bitter power
5.
點心
Pointing to
the heart
6.
風水
Wind and
water
Gingkgo
銀杏
(Via Japanese)
Ginseng
人葠
(Via Cantonese yan sam)
Japan
日本
Source of
the sun
7.
柔道
Gentle Way (Via Japanese)
Junk
船
Boat
(Via Malay)
Kanji
漢字
Chinese
characters
(Via Japanese)
(Via Cantonese dim sam)
(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)
8.
茄汁
Tomato
sauce
Kowtow
叩頭
Knock head
Kumquat
金橘
Golden
orange
(Via Cantonese gam gwat)
9.
功夫
10.
丟臉
Lose face
Literal translation of the chinese phrase
menaing humiliation
11.
荔枝
12.
麻將
Oolong
烏龍
Black
dragon
Pinyin
拼音
Sound
spelling
Ricksha
力車
(Human-)
Powered
vehicle
(Via Japanese) Short for 人力車 or humanpowered vehicle
Sampan
舢舨
13.
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
14.
少林
Small forest
Shinto
神道
Saintly way
15.
絲
Silk
Shogun
將軍
Army
General
Soy (sauce)
醬油
(Via Cantonese lai ji)
A type of tea
(Via Japanese shoyu)
2
Tai chi
太極
Ultimate
16.
太極拳
Ultimate
boxing
Taipan
大班
Big boss
(Via Cantonese daai baan)
Tangram
湯+
Chinese
picture
Tang, the name of one of China's most
successful dynasties is used to denote the
Chinese people.
gram
Tao (Dao)
道
Way
Tea
茶
Tea
17.
豆腐
Bean curd
Tycoon
大官
Great
official
18.
颱風
Hurricane
Wok
鑊
Cauldron
19.
餛飩
20.
武術
Yamen
衙門
Official door
Yen
圓
Monetary
unit
Yin Yang
陰陽
(Via Amoy dialect)
(Via Japanese)
(Via Cantonese wok)
(Via Cantonese wan tan)
(Via Japanese) Japanese money

©2003-2008 J. Lau. All rights reserved.
Adapted from http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/chineseloan.php
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