Loanwords have entered written and spoken Chinese from many sources, including ancient peoples whose descendants now speak Chinese. In addition to phonetic differences, varieties of Chinese such as Cantonese and Shanghainese often have distinct words and phrases left from their original languages which they continue to use in daily life and sometimes even in Mandarin. As a result of long-term direct relationships with northern peoples, starting from the pre-Christ period, there are many exchanges of words. In addition, there were times when northern tribes dominated China. Similarly, northern dialects include relatively greater numbers of loanwords from nearby languages such as Turkic, Mongolian, and Manchu(Tungusic).
Throughout China, Buddhism has also introduced words from Sanskrit and Pali. More recently, foreign invasion and trade since the First and Second Opium Wars of the mid-nineteenth century has led to prolonged contact with English, French, and Japanese. Although politically minded language reform under the Republic and People's Republic of China have generally preferred to use calques and neologisms in place of loanwords, a growing number particularly from American English have become current in modern Chinese. On the mainland, transcription into Chinese characters in official media and publications is directed by the Proper Names and Translation Service of the Xinhua News Agency and its reference work Names of the World's Peoples.[1]
Since Hong Kong was under British control until 1997, Hong Kong Cantonese borrowed many words from English such as 巴士 (from the word "bus", Mandarin: bāshì, Cantonese: baa1 si2), 的士 (from "taxi", Man.: dīshì, Can.: dik1 si2), 芝士 (from "cheese", Man.: zhīshì, Can.: zi1 si6), and 麥當勞/麦当劳 (from "McDonald's", Man.: Màidāngláo, Can.: Mak6 dong1 lou4), and such loanwords have been adopted into Mandarin, despite them sounding much less similar to the English words than the Cantonese versions.[2]
Foreign businesses and products are usually free to choose their own transliterations and typically select ones with positive connotations and phonetic similarity to their products: for example, Chinese: 宜家 (IKEA) is "proper home". Owing to antonomasia and genericization, these can then enter general Chinese usage: for example Coca-Cola's Chinese: 可口可乐 Man.: kěkǒu kělè ("delicious fun") has led to Chinese: 可乐 Man.: kělè becoming the common Chinese noun for all colas.
Since the Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil War, relations between the ROC and PRC had been hostile, thus communication between Taiwan and mainland China became limited. For that reason, many loanwords and proper names became quite different from each other. For example, "cheese" in mainland China is 芝士 zhīshì, while cheese in Taiwan is 起司 qǐsī.
| Chinese Word | Pronunciation | Meaning | Original Word | Pronunciation | Original Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 剎那 | chànà | instant | क्षण | kṣaṇa | instant | |
| 蘋果 | píngguǒ | apple | बिम्बा | bimbā | apple | |
| 涅槃 | nièpán | nirvana | निर्वाण | nirvāna | nirvana | |
| 舍利子 | shèlìzi | relic | शरीर | śarīra | body | |
| 曇花 | tánhuā | epiphyllum | उदुम्बर | udumbara | cluster fig tree | |
| 須彌山 | xūmíshān | Mt. Sumeru | सुमेरु | sumeru | Mt. Sumeru | |
| 波羅蜜多 | bōluómìduō | Pāramitā | पारमिता | pāramitā | perfection |
| Chinese Word | Pronunciation | Meaning | Original Word | Pronunciation | Original Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 巴刹 | bāshā | bazar (market) | بازار | bāzār | bazar (market) | |
| 巴旦木 | bādànmù | almond | بادام | bādām | almond | |
| 葡萄 | pútáo | grape | باده or Bactrian *bādāwa | bāde | wine | |
| 獅子 | shīzi | lion | شیر | šīr | lion | |
| 百里香 | Bǎilǐxiāng | Thyme | آویشن | Avišan | Thyme |
Chinese words of English origin have become more common in mainland China during its reform and opening and resultant increased contact with the West. Note that some of the words below originated in other languages but may have arrived in Chinese via English (for example "pizza/披萨" from Italian). English acronyms are sometimes borrowed into Chinese without any transcription into Chinese characters; for example "IT" (information technology), "PPT" (PowerPoint), "GDP" (Gross domestic product), "APP" (mobile app), "KTV" (karaoke), or "DVD". A rarer occurrence is the blending of the Latin alphabet with Chinese characters, as in "卡拉OK" ("karaoke"), “T恤” ("T-shirt"), "IP卡" ("internet protocol card").[3] In some instances, the loanwords exists side by side with neologisms that translate the meaning of the concept into existing Chinese morphemes. For instance, while the loanword for 'penicillin' is 盘尼西林 (pánníxīlín), a neologism that 'translates' the word was later coined, 青霉素 (qīngméisù), which means 'blue/green mold extract/essence'. In contemporary Chinese, neologisms using native Chinese morphemes tend to be favored over loanwords that are transliterations. In the case of penicillin, the term 青霉素 is used almost exclusively, while 盘尼西林 is viewed as an early 20th century relic. Similarly, 'science' is now known as 科学 (kēxué) 'subject/specialty study' rather than 赛因斯 (sàiyīnsī), though it should be pointed out that the characters 科学 were actually coined in the late 19th century by the Japanese as a kanji compound.
In the chart below, loanwords in Taiwan will be written in traditional characters and loanwords in mainland China will be written in simplified characters.
| English | Pinyin | Chinese | Category | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amen | āmen | Religion | |||
| ammonia | āmóníyà | Science & technology | Rarely used in mainland China | ||
| amoeba | āmǐbā | Science & technology | |||
| amoxicillin | āmòxīlín | Health & medicine | |||
| ampere | ānpéi | Science & technology | |||
| amphetamine | ānfēitāmìng | Health & medicine | |||
| ampoule | ānbù | Science & technology | |||
| antitrust | fǎntuōlāsī | Politics | |||
| aspartame | āsībātián | Food & drink | |||
| Aspirin | āsīpílín | Health & medicine | |||
| Baccarat | Bǎijiālè | Arts & entertainment | |||
| bacon | péigēn | Food & drink | |||
| bagel | bèiguǒ | Food & drink | |||
| ballet | bālěi | Arts & entertainment | |||
| bandage | bēngdài | Health & medicine | |||
| banjo | bānzhuóqín | Arts & entertainment | |||
| bar | (jiǔ)bā | Arts & entertainment | |||
| Baroque | bāluòkè, bāluókè | Arts & entertainment | |||
| bass | bèisī | Arts & entertainment | |||
| bassoon | bāsōng | Arts & entertainment | |||
| bazooka | bāzǔkǎ | Science & technology | |||
| beer | píjiǔ | Food & drink | |||
| bikini | bǐjīní | Clothing | |||
| bingo | bīnguǒ | Arts & entertainment | |||
| bit (unit of information) | bǐtè | Science & technology | |||
| blog | bókè | Culture & society | |||
| blues | bùlǔsī | Arts & entertainment | |||
| bolero | bōláiluó | Arts & entertainment | |||
| bourgeois | bù'ěrqiáoyà | Politics | |||
| brandy | báilándì | Food & drink | |||
| brownie | bùlǎngní | Food & drink | |||
| bullying | bàlíng | Culture & society | |||
| bungee jumping | bèngjí | Arts & entertainment | |||
| bus | bāshì | Transportation | |||
| bye-bye | bàibài | Slang | |||
| caffeine | kāfēiyīn | Food & drink | |||
| calorie | kǎlùlǐ | Science & technology | |||
| cancan | kāngkāngwǔ | Arts & entertainment | |||
| cannon | jiānóngpào | Science & technology | |||
| carat | kèlā | Science & technology | |||
| carbine | kǎbīnqiāng | Science & technology | |||
| card | kǎpiàn | Science & technology | As the last element of a compound, kǎ 卡 alone is used, e.g. yínháng kǎ 银行卡 / 銀行卡 "Bank card (ATM card)". | ||
| carnival | jiāniánhuá | Arts & entertainment | |||
| cartel | kǎtè'ěr | Culture & society | |||
| cartoon | kǎtōng | Arts & entertainment | |||
| cashmere | kāishìmǐ | Clothing | |||
| celluloid | sàilùluò | Science & technology | |||
| cement | shúiméntīng | Science & technology | Dated in mainland China | ||
| cha-cha | qiàqiàwǔ | Arts & entertainment | |||
| Champagne | xiāngbīn | Food & drink | |||
| cheese | qǐsī/qishì/zhīshì | Food & drink | First two loanwords used in Taiwan, last used in mainland China | ||
| cherry | chēlízi | Food & drink | Transliterated from plural, exclusively refers to black cherries in mainland China | ||
| chiffon | xuěfǎng, qìfēng | Clothing, Food & drink | The first loanword refers to chiffon as a kind of fabric, the second refers to chiffon cake | ||
| chocolate | qiǎokèlì | Food & drink | |||
| cider | xīdá | Food & drink | |||
| cigar | xuějiā | Food & drink | |||
| clone | kèlóng | Science & technology | |||
| coca, coke | kějiā, gǔkē | Food & drink | |||
| Coca-Cola | kěkǒu kělè | Food & drink | |||
| cola | kělè | Food & drink | |||
| cocaine | kěkǎyīn | Narcotics | |||
| cocoa | kěkě | Food & drink | |||
| codeine | kědàiyīn | Health & medicine | |||
| coffee | kāfēi | Food & drink | |||
| cookie | qǔqí | Food & drink | |||
| cool | kù | Slang | |||
| copy | kǎobèi | Only used in the context of computers | |||
| sofa | shāfā | Housing | |||
| coup d'état | kǔdiédǎ | Politics | |||
| craton | kèlātōng | Science & technology | |||
| cream | jìlián, qílín | Food & drink | |||
| crêpe | kělìbǐng | Food & drink | |||
| croissant | kěsòng | Food & drink | |||
| cumin | kūmíng | Food & drink | Rarely used in mainland China, usually appears in compound words such as kūmíngqúan 枯茗醛 “cuminaldehyde” | ||
| curry | gālí | Food & drink | |||
| cyanide | shān'āi | Science & technology | Rarely used in mainland China | ||
| Dacron | díquèliáng | Science & technology | |||
| daddy | diēdì | Slang | |||
| didgeridoo | díjílǐdùguǎn | Arts & entertainment | |||
| disco | dísīkě | Arts & entertainment | |||
| domino | duōmǐnuò | Arts & entertainment | |||
| drive-thru | déláisù | Food & drink | |||
| einsteinium | ài/āi | Science & technology | First loanword used in Taiwan, second used in mainland China | ||
| Eucalyptus | yóujiālì | Botany | |||
| eureka | yóulǐkǎ | Culture & society | |||
| fan | fěnsī | Arts & entertainment | Transliterated from plural, also a term for cellophane noodles | ||
| fantasy | fàntèxī | Arts & entertainment | Rarely used in mainland China | ||
| fascism | fǎxīsī | Politics | |||
| fillet | fēilì | Food & drink | Usually refers to filet mignon | ||
| geek | jíkè | Science & technology | |||
| ghetto | gédōu | Culture & society | |||
| go-kart | gāokǎchē | Arts & entertainment | |||
| golf | gāo'ěrfū | Arts & entertainment | |||
| guitar | jítā | Arts & entertainment | |||
| hacker | hēikè | Science & technology | |||
| hallelujah | hālìlùyà | Religion | |||
| hamburger | hànbǎobāo | Food & drink | |||
| hello | hālóu | Greeting | |||
| heroin | hǎiluòyīn | Narcotics | |||
| hippie | xīpíshì | Culture & society | |||
| honey | hāní | Slang | As a term of endearment | ||
| hysteria | xiēsīdǐlǐ | Health & medicine | |||
| humour | yōumò | Culture & society | |||
| ice cream | bīngqílín | Food & drink | |||
| jacket | jiākè | Clothing | |||
| jazz | juéshì | Arts & entertainment | |||
| Jeep | jípǔchē | Transportation, organizations | |||
| jitterbug | jítèbā | Arts & entertainment | |||
| karaoke | kǎlā ok (kǎlāōukēi) | Arts & entertainment | |||
| karting | kǎdīngchē | Transportation | |||
| ketamine | kètāmìng | Science & technology | |||
| khaki | kǎqí(sè) | Clothing | |||
| koala | kǎolā | Animals | |||
| lace | lěisī | Clothing | |||
| lesbian | lěisībīan | Culture & society | |||
| lacquer | làkè | Science & technology | |||
| laser | léishè | Science & technology | |||
| latte | nátiě | Food & drink | |||
| lemon | níngméng | Food & drink | |||
| limbo | língbōwǔ | Arts & entertainment | |||
| liquor | lìkǒujiǔ | Food & drink | |||
| logic | luóji | Science & technology | |||
| lottery | lètòu | Arts & entertainment | |||
| mankini | nánjīní | Clothing | |||
| marathon | mǎlāsōng | Arts & entertainment | |||
| margarine | màiqílín | Food & drink | Dated in mainland China | ||
| marker | mǎkèbǐ | Culture & society | |||
| massage | mǎshājī | Culture & society | Rarely used in mainland China | ||
| metre | mǐ | Science & technology | |||
| meme | míyīn | Arts & entertainment | |||
| mini | mǐnǐ | Culture & society | |||
| microphone | màikèfēng | Science & technology | |||
| model | mótèr | Arts & entertainment | |||
| modern | módēng | Culture & society | |||
| mohair | mǎhǎimáo | Clothing | |||
| mommy | māmi | Slang | |||
| montage (film) | méngtàiqí | Arts & entertainment | |||
| mosaic | mǎsàikè | Arts & entertainment | |||
| motif | mǔtǐ, mú | Arts & entertainment | |||
| motor | mǎdá | Science & technology | |||
| motorcycle | mótuōchē | Transportation | |||
| mousse | mùsī | Food & drink | |||
| mozzarella | mòzālǐlā, mǎsūlǐlā | Food & drink | |||
| muffin | mǎfēn, màifēn | Food & drink | |||
| mug | mǎkèbēi | Food & drink | |||
| mummy | mùnǎiyī | Culture & society | |||
| Nazi | Nàcuì | Politics, organization | |||
| neon | níhóng | Science & technology | |||
| nicotine | nígǔdīng | Health & medicine | |||
| Nylon | nílóng | Clothing | |||
| ohm | ōumǔ | Science & technology | |||
| Olympics | Àolínpǐkè | Organizations | |||
| opium | yāpiàn | Narcotics | |||
| parfait | bāfēi | Food & drink | |||
| parka | pàikè dàyī | Clothing | |||
| party | pàiduì | Culture & society | |||
| penicillin | pánníxīlín | Science & technology | Dated in mainland China | ||
| Pharaoh | fǎlǎo | Culture & society | |||
| pickup truck | píkǎ | Transportation | |||
| pie | pài | Food & drink | |||
| pizza | pīsà/bǐsà | Food & drink | |||
| plutonium | bù, bù | Science & technology | |||
| poker | pūkè | Arts & entertainment | Refers to card games in general | ||
| polka | bō'ěrkǎ | Arts & entertainment | |||
| pudding | bùdīng | Food & drink | |||
| pump | bèng | Science & technology | |||
| punk | péngkè | Arts & entertainment | |||
| rabbi | lābǐ | Religion | |||
| radar | léidá | Science & technology | |||
| romance | luómànshǐ, làngmàn | Culture & society | |||
| rum | lǎngmǔjiu | Food & drink | |||
| rumba | lúnbā | Arts & entertainment | |||
| salad | shālà, shalǜ | Food & drink | |||
| salmon | sānwényú | Food & drink | |||
| salon | shālóng | Culture & society | |||
| sandwich | sānmíngzhì, sānwénzhì | Food & drink | |||
| sardine | shādīngyú | Food & drink | |||
| sauna | sāngná | Health & medicine | |||
| saxophone | sàkèsī(fēng) | Arts & entertainment | |||
| scooter | sùkèdá | Transportation | Rarely used in mainland China | ||
| shampoo | xiāngbō | Health & medicine | |||
| sherry | xuělìjiǔ | Food & drink | |||
| shock | xīukè | Health & medicine | |||
| sirloin | shālǎng, xīlěng | Food & drink | First loanword used in Taiwan, second used in mainland China | ||
| snooker | sīnuòkè | Sports | |||
| sonar | shēngnà | Science & technology | |||
| soda | sūdá | Food & drink | sūdáshǔi 苏打水 is used when referring to soft drinks, xiǎosūdá 小苏打 is used when referring to baking soda | ||
| strawberry | shìduōpílí | Food & drink | Rarely used in mainland China | ||
| Soviet | sūwéi'āi | Politics | |||
| sundae | shèngdài, xīndì | Food & drink | |||
| talk show | tuōkǒuxiù | Culture & society | |||
| tango | tàngē | Arts & entertainment | |||
| tank | tǎnkè | Transportation | |||
| tannic acid | dānníngsuān | Science & technology | |||
| taxi | dīshì | Transportation | |||
| tarot | tǎluó | Culture & society | |||
| Teflon | tiěfúlóng, tèfùlóng | Science & technology | First loanword used in Taiwan, second used in mainland China | ||
| T-shirt | t xù (tīxù) | Clothing | |||
| telephone | délǜfēng | Arts & entertainment | Dated in mainland China | ||
| ten-pin bowling | bǎolíngqiú | Arts & entertainment | |||
| TOEFL | tuōfú | Organization | |||
| toffee | tàifēitáng | Food & drink | |||
| toast | tǔsī | Food & drink | |||
| tuna | tūnnáyú | Food & drink | |||
| turquoise | tǔ'ěrqíshí | 土 | Color | ||
| USB flash drive | u pán (yóupán) | Science & technology | |||
| valve | fá | Science & technology | |||
| Vaseline | fánshìlín | Health & medicine | |||
| vitamin | wéitāmìng | Health & medicine | |||
| vodka | fútéjiā | Food & drink | |||
| waltz | huá'ěrzī | Arts & entertainment | |||
| watt | wǎtè | Science & technology | |||
| whisky | wēishìjì | Food & drink | |||
| X-ray | x guāng (àikésīguāng) | Health & medicine | |||
| yoga | yújiā | Arts & entertainment | |||
| yogurt | yōugé | Food & drink | |||
| yo-yo | yōuyōuqiú | Arts & entertainment | |||
| yuppie | yǎpíshì | Culture & society |
These words are only used in Singapore and Malaysia.
| Malay | Pinyin | Chinese | Meaning | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tolong | duōlóng | help | |||
| kampung | gānbǎng | village | |||
| sagu | xīgǔmǐ | sago (starch) | sagu+米 (mǐ, 'grain') | ||
| tumpang | lóngbāng | to stay with somebody | |||
| tanjung | dānróng | cape |