Those words that come from China are usually called "foreign words". Such words are not translated word for word, but are based on the use of the language. Simply put, it is a vocabulary that one language borrows from other languages. What are the English loanwords from China?
1. Gung Ho 长庚何
Pronounced gōng hé in Mandarin. The literal translation is,”work together.” The English use was popularized by Marines fighting in the Pacific in World War II. The phrase came to mean: “whole heartedly enthusiastic, and loyal, eager, and zealous.”
It is pronounced as gōng hé in Mandarin and means "Cooperation and working together." It was widely used in English during World War II when the Marine Corps fought in the Pacific. The meaning of this phrase is: "sincere enthusiasm, loyalty, desire, enthusiasm."
2. Typhoon TYphoon
Pronounced dàfēng in Mandarin and tai fung in Cantonese. The literal translation is " strong wind." Experts say the term, typhon from the Greek and Arabic, was strengthened with the Chinese translation.
It is pronounced in Mandarin as: dàfēng and in Cantonese as: tai fung. The literal translation is: "Strong Wind". Some experts say that this word originated from Greek and Arabic, and the pronunciation changed in Chinese.
3. China
In Chinese, the name is pronounced zhōng guó and literally means “the middle country.” The name was first used by the Italian explorer, Marco Polo. < /p>
The pronunciation in Chinese is: zhōng guó, which literally means "the country in the middle." The first person to use this term was the Italian explorer Marco Polo.
4. Silk
Pronounced si in Mandarin. The word was first introduced to Western culture by smugglers who took silk worms and mulberry leaves out of China in 552 Common Era (CE) .
The pronunciation in Chinese is: si. The term was first introduced to the West when illegal transporters brought silkworms and mulberry leaves from China to the West in 552 AD.
5. Feng Shui Literally wind and water. It is the Chinese belief in creating a spiritual balance in one's home and workplace. The word was first introduced to Westerners in 1757.
The literal meaning is: wind and water. Feng shui is a Chinese belief in creating spiritual balance in the home and workplace. The word first entered the West in 1757.
6.Kowtow Literally means “knock head.” Pronounced e k'o-t'ou in Chinese. In China the word is a way of bowing and touching the forehead to the ground to indicate respect. In English the word means to “be servile: to behave in an extremely submissive way in order to please somebody in a position of authority.”
The literal meaning is “discount” , pronounced as: e k'o-t'ou in Chinese, means: bow, forehead touching the ground as a sign of respect. The meaning in English is "enslavement: to be very submissive in order to please others."
7.Junk
The literal translation in Chinese is “boat.” In 1884 the The term came to mean “old refuse from boats and ships,” and eventually came to mean trash in Western culture.
The literal meaning in Chinese is “ship”. This word in 1884 meant "ship's junk" and eventually evolved into the meaning of garbage in the West.
8. Lose Face
The literal translation is “humiliation” and is pronounced tu lien in Chinese. The word is said to have been introduced to English speakers in 1876.
p>
The literal meaning is "disgrace, shame" and is pronounced tu lien. It is said that this term was introduced to the West in 1876.
9. Shanghai Shanghai
Shanghai is a Chinese seaport. The word in English came to mean, “to drug a man unconscious and ship him as a sailor.” This was the practice of 'recruiting' sailors to the seaport of Shanghai.
Shanghai is a port city in China. In English it means "to make a crew member." This is the crew actually "recruited" at the Shanghai port.
10. Tai Chi 太极
In Chinese, the word is literally translated to the “supreme ultimate.” It is now used in American lingo to describe the martial art of tai chi. Some emphasize the slow movements as a form of exercise, while others practice it as a martial art.
According to the Chinese translation, it is "Tai Chi (the highest limit)." This is also the Tai Chi now described in American martial arts gyms. . Some people see it as a slow-motion exercise, but others do it like a martial art.
11. Oolong Oolong tea
Literally “black dragon.” First introduced to the English language in 1852 as a dark, black tea.
Literally “black dragon.” Black Dragon." was first introduced as a black tea in 1852.