Chinese words borrowed from other languages 中文外来词
How many Chinese words can you tell that they are borrowed from English or other foreign languages? ChineseHour teacher makes a list of the frequently-used Chinese words here for you. For example:
拜拜 bye-bye、可口可乐 Coca-cola、咖啡 coffee、巧克力 chocolate、汉堡包hamburger、巴士 bus 、卡通 cartoon、台风 typhoon、黑客 hacker、因特网 Internet.
You’d better learn to practice all of them with pinyin and English translation. Any problems with these borrowed words, please turn to ChineseHour teachers online, we are ready to help you any hour of the day.
ChineseHour现代汉语外来词目录
A
奥林匹克 ào lín pǐ kè, Olympic 国际奥林匹克运动
阿斯匹林 āsīpǐlín, aspirin 乙酰水杨酸，解热镇痛药 阿司匹林
奥斯卡 àosīkǎ, Oscar 美国电影金像奖
爱滋病 àizībìng, AIDS - acquired immunodeficiency syndrome 获得性免疫缺损综合症
B
芭蕾（舞）bālěi, ballet 一种起源于意大利的舞剧
巴士 bāshì, bus 公共汽车
拜拜 bàibai , bye-bye 再见
白兰地bái lán dì, brandy 用葡萄等发酵蒸馏制成的酒
百事可乐bǎishì kělè, Pepsi-Cola 一种饮料品牌
保龄球bǎolíng qiú, bowling 一种室内体育运动项目
奔驰bēnchí, Benz 德国汽车品牌
绷带 bēngdài , bandage 包扎患处的纱布带
必胜客 bìshèngkè, Pizza Hut
比基尼 bǐjīní, bikini 泳装
冰淇淋 bīngqílín, ice-cream 雪糕 冰激凌、冰淇凌、冰其淋、冰激淋
D
打 dǎ, dozen 十二个为一打 大、打臣、大臣
代沟 dàigōu, generation gap 两代人价值观念等方面的差异
迪斯科 dísīkē, disco 放送流行乐曲唱片供人跳舞的夜总会，的士高
迪斯尼 dísīní, Disneyland 美国迪斯尼乐园
丁克族 dīngkè zú, dink 双收入无子女家庭成员
吨 dūn, ton 公制重量单位
G
高尔夫 gāo ěr fū, golf高尔夫体育运动
咖喱 gālí, curry 用胡椒、茴香等粉末制成的调味品
古兰经 gǔlánjīng, Koran 伊斯兰教的经典
H
哈雷彗星 hāléi huìxīng, Halley’s comet
汉堡包 hànbǎo bāo, hamburger 用牛肉馅做成的小包。
好莱坞 hǎoláiwù, Hollywood 美国加利福尼亚州洛杉矶市的一区，指称美国电影业或美国电影界等
荷尔蒙 héěrměng , hormone 激素
黑客 hēikè, hacker 指非法入侵他人计算机网络者 骇客
华尔街 huáěrjiē, Wall Street 美国纽约的一条街
华尔兹 huáěrzī, waltz 一种圆舞曲
J
基督 jīdū, Jesus 基督教称救世主
基因 jīyīn, gene 具有特定的核苷酸顺序的核酸分子中的一个片断，储蓄特定遗传信息的功能单位
吉他 jítā, guitar 六弦琴，一种拨弦乐器 吉它、吉榻、吉泰、结他
酒吧 jiǔbā, bar 西餐馆或旅馆中所设的卖酒专柜
爵士舞 juéshìwǔ, jazz dance / music
K
咖啡 kāfēi, coffee 用咖啡种子的粉末制成的饮料 加啡、架啡
卡车 kǎchē, car 运输货物的载重汽车
卡片 kǎpiàn, card 用来记录事项的纸片卡
卡拉OK kǎ lā OK, karaoke 伴随音乐歌碟唱歌
开司米 kāisīmǐ, cashmere 原指克什米尔地方所产的山羊绒毛，现泛指优良的羊绒织品
拷贝 kǎobèi, copy 复印，复制
可口可乐 kěkǒu kělè, Coca-cola 一种国外饮料品牌
克拉 kèlā, carat 宝石的重量单位
克隆 kèlóng, clone 无性繁殖
酷 kù, cool
L
拉力赛 lālìsài, rally
镭射 léishè, laser 激光 莱塞、镭射、雷射、莱泽、睐则
雷达 léidá, radar — radio detecting and ranging的词头拼合而成 理想
罗曼蒂克 luó màn dì kè, romantic 浪漫
M
马拉松 mǎlāsōng, marathon 超长距离赛跑，全程为42.195公里
麦克风 màikèfēng , microphone 话筒，扩音器 麦格风、麦克
麦当劳 màidāngláo, McDonald
芒果 mángguǒ, mango 指一种常绿植物或其果实 杧果、檬果、蚊胶
迷你裙 mínǐ qún, miniskirt 一种超短裙
米 mǐ, metre 长度单位
模特 mote, model 展示服装的人或模型
N
霓虹灯 níhóng dēng, neon 一种发出多种颜色的灯
尼龙 nílóng, nylon 一种合成纤维 尼纶
牛顿 niúdùn, Newton 英国科学家名
诺贝尔 nuòbèiěr, Nobel 瑞典科学家名
O
欧佩克 ōupèikè, OPEC 石油输出国组织
P
派pài, pie 一种西点，馅饼 排、批、攀
潘多拉魔盒 pānduōlā móhé, Pandora’s box 希腊神话中宙斯给潘多拉的一个里面藏有疾病、疯狂、罪恶、嫉妒等祸患的盒子。
披头士 pītóushì, Beetles 原义指硬壳虫乐队及其成员
啤酒 píjiǔ, beer 以大麦等原料发酵制成的酒
扑克 pūkè, poker 一种纸牌
Q
恰恰舞 qiàqià wǔ, cha-cha 一种现代交际舞，节奏明快、急速，起源与拉丁美洲
巧克力 qiǎokèlì, chocolate 以可可粉等为原料制成的食品 朱古力
R
热狗 règǒu, hotdog 中间夹有热香肠、酸菜、芥末油等的面包
软件 ruǎnjiàn, software
S
三明治 sānmíngzhì, sandwich 一种夹心面包 三文治
桑拿浴 sāngná yù, sauna 芬兰式蒸汽浴 桑那浴、桑纳浴
色拉 sèlā, salad 西餐中的一种凉拌菜 沙拉、沙辣、沙律
色拉油 sèlā yóu, salad oil 一种调制色拉的上等植物油
沙发 shāfā, sofa
山姆大叔 shānmǔ dàshū, Uncle Sam 美国别称
T
台风 táifēng, typhoon
坦克 tǎnkè, tank
踢踏舞 tītà wǔ, tittup 一种以皮鞋击地作声的舞蹈
贴士 tiēshì, tip 提示, 建议
听 tīng, tin 罐
图腾 túténg, totem 原始人人为的与本氏族有特殊神秘关系的某种动物、植物或无生物，即为该氏族的保护者和徽记
托福 tuōfú, TOEFL — Test of English as a Foreign Language
脱口秀 tuōkǒu xiù, talk show 指一种谈话式的节目
W
微软 wēiruǎn, Microsoft Corporation
伟哥 wěigē, vigor 一种美国性功能药品
维他命 wéitāmìng, vitamin 维生素
外包 wàibāo, outsourcing
X
嬉皮士 xīpíshì, Hippies 指美国在20世纪60年代出现的不满现实而带有颓废色彩的青年
席梦思 xímèngsī, simmons 一种有弹簧装置的床垫
香波 xiāngbō, shampoo 护发洗涤用品
歇斯底里 xiēsīdǐlǐ, hysteric 癔病，一种精神病
休克 xiūkè, shock
雪茄 xuějiā, cigar 用烟叶卷成的烟，比一般香烟粗且长
Y
雅皮士 yǎpíshì, Yuppies 指现代美国都市中年轻的专业人士
雅思 yǎsī, IELTS — International English Language Testing System
伊妹儿 yīmèir , E-mail 电子邮件
引擎 yǐnqíng , engine 发动机
因特网 yīntèwǎng, Internet
幽默 yōumò, humor
犹大 yóudà, Judas 出卖耶稣的叛徒
Z
侏罗纪 zhūluójì, Jurassic period 地质年代中生带的第二个纪
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September 17th, 2008 at 10:57 am
UIZ: Borrowed English Words from Chinese
Introduction
Where do the words in our English language come from? Did you ever imagine that quite a few English words come from Chinese?
Being originally Anglo-Saxon, of course English received many words from its Germanic ancestor. But as a result of Norman French invaders, a large number of Romance words have also come in, derived mostly from Latin (and somewhat from Greek) so that today about 55% of the words stem from that source although the remaining 45% of the mostly Germanic words are the ones most used in everyday speech.
Aware of all of the above, I was visiting Ellis Island in 1993 where I encountered a display about all of the things immigrants have brought to America. I had never given it much thought before so I was forcibly struck by an exhibit asserting that more than just a few words have come from a place as linguistically exotic as China (and this on a trip where I had heard both Madama Butterfly and Miss Saigon). I resolved to look into this further up on returning home, the results of my investigations being what you see below.
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz872069fe2d8.html
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Perhaps the easiest way for words from another language to enter English is through our stomachs. Examples like pizza, spaghetti and burrito will all readily spring to mind, and perhaps alert our salivary glands. And when it comes to food words, Chinese is no exception:
catsup/ketchup
from ke tziap; a condiment previously used in the Roman Empire, but known there as garum and perhaps borrowed from Ancient Greeks
chopstick
slender stick eating utensil; only the first part of the word is Chinese, from Cantonese kap meaning fast; see also chop-chop
chop suey
dish prepared from bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, onions, mushrooms, meat or fish, rice and soy sauce; from Cantonese shap (miscellaneous) sui (bit)
chow
food, victuals; perhaps from Chinese spoken around Peking: chiao meaning meat dumpling; spinoff words such as chowhound, chow line, chowtime, etc.
chow mein
stew of shredded meat, mushrooms and vegetables served with fried noodles; from Peking Chinese ch’ao3 mien4
dim sum
Date: 1948; traditional Chinese food consisting of a variety of items (as steamed or fried dumplings, pieces of cooked chicken, and rice balls) served in small portions. from Chinese around Guangdong d韒sAm, from d韒 dot, speck + sAm heart
kumquat
any of several small yellow to orange citrus fruits with sweet spongy rind and somewhat acid pulp that are used chiefly for preserves; also : a tree or shrub (genus Fortunella) of the rue family that bears kumquats. from Chinese around Guangdong gAm-gwAt, from gAm gold + gwAt citrus fruit; Date: 1699
soy
sauce made from subjecting beans to long fermentation and digestion in brine; also contributed to soybean, soya-bean, soybean oil; from Cantonese sh? yau meaning soybean oil
Another good source of foreign words which English speakers have not been able to avoid taking into their language are those which describe customs so strange to them that they simply have no local word yet to call them. Distant, exotic China has certainly supplied its share of these.
cheongsam
an oriental dress with a slit skirt and a mandarin collar; from Chinese (Guangdong) ch鑥hng-sAam, literally, long gown; Date: 1952
chop-chop
quickly, without delay; from Cantonese kap meaning fast
cumshaw
present, gratuity; from Xiamen kam si meaning a grateful thanks
feng shui
Chinese geomancy
kowtow
to kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in homage or to show obvious deference; from Peking Chinese k’o1 t’ou2
tai chi chuan
from Chinese spoken around Beijing: t鄆j韖u醤, from t鄆j?/i> the Absolute in Chinese cosmology + qu醤 fist, boxing; Date: 1954; an ancient Chinese discipline of meditative movements practiced as a system of exercises – called also tai chi, t’ai chi
Besides food, English speakers have interacted with Chinese in other ways, sometimes encountering things so unique that they don’t know what to call them. It could be an occupation, a dog breed or a weather phenomenon, but the result is the same, borrow the word the locals use. By the way, the English word “hurricane” is borrowed also, from the Caribbean.
chow chow
heavy-coated dog with a broad head and muzzle, full ruff of hair and a blue-black tongue; akin to Cantonese kaú which means dog
gob
sailor; Date: 1915; from a Chinese word for sailor?
honcho
leader of a squad which arrived in English during World War II via Japanese, but originally came from han, squad (from Middle Chinese pa穘, arrangement, class) + cho, chief (from Middle Chinese tra).
mah jongg
a game of Chinese origin usually played by four persons with 144 tiles that are drawn and discarded until one player secures a winning hand; from Mah-Jongg, a trademark; 1920. Variants include mahjong and mah-jongg.
sampan
a flat-bottomed Chinese skiff usually propelled by two short oars; from Chinese around Guangdong s郺mb醓n, from s郺m three + b醓n board, plank; 1620
silk
This word is traditionally thought to come from Greek sErik-ós meaning silken Since -ikos was a common Greek ending meaning “belonging to”, Victor Mair has proposed that the Ancient Greeks got the word from a reconstructed Ancient Chinese word *syeg- meaning shimmering cloth.
tai pan
a leading business entrepreneur, particularly in Hong Kong (Cantonese)
typhoon
a great windstorm, hurricane, from tai? (great) fung (wind)
Rather special are cases of words which refer back to language itself. The first did not come from Chinese, but was transformed by it while the second describes the transliteration method.
pidgin
a simplified speech used for communication between people with different languages from “pidgin English”, pidgin being the word in pidgin English for “business”, i.e. a changed form of the English word “business”. Pidgin English is/was a form of Chinese English used for business purposes in the Orient.
pinyin
A system for romanizing Chinese ideograms in which tones are indicated by diacritics and unaspirated consonants are transcribed as voiced. (Another such system is called WADE-GILES.) From Chinese (Beijing) pInyIn to spell phonetically, from pIn to arrange + yIn sound, pronunciation. date: 1963
Finally, two word have arrived into English simply by being named after a Chinese place.
kaolin
a fine usually white clay that is used in ceramics and refractories, as a filler or extender, and in medicine especially as an adsorbent in the treatment of diarrhea. from French kaolin, from Gaoling hill in China; circa 1741
shanghai
to forcibly abduct someone into service, from the practice of sea captains in San Francisco who got sailors drunk in order to impress them aboard their ships bound for Shanghai, China
Join in this QUIZ:
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz872069fe2d8.html
November 20th, 2011 at 9:24 am
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