mandarin

What is another word for mandarin? Here is its meaning, with related words and examples.

Name — The official language of China and Taiwan, the most widely spoken variety of Chinese.

We haven't recorded synonyms for mandarin yet. You can still read its full definition, where it comes from, or words that rhyme with it.

How to use mandarin

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

speak Mandarin a mandarin orange mandarin bureaucracy

Etymology

Traces back through Portuguese and Malay to Sanskrit mantrin ("counselor, minister"). The word originally referred to Chinese imperial officials, and both the "esoteric official language" sense and the citrus fruit sense (named for the fruit's orange, official-style robes) developed from that.

Full origin of mandarin →

Frequently asked questions

What does “mandarin” mean?

The word “mandarin” means the official language of China and Taiwan, the most widely spoken variety of Chinese. In plain terms, most often means either the main Chinese language or a small orange citrus fruit; less commonly, an adjective for pompous, official-sounding language.

How do you pronounce “mandarin”?

“Mandarin” is pronounced MAN-duh-rihn (/ˈmæn.də.ɹɪn/ in IPA).

How do you use “mandarin” in a sentence?

Here is “mandarin” used in a sentence: “She spent a year in Beijing learning Mandarin.”

What part of speech is “mandarin”?

Depending on how it is used, “mandarin” can be a name, a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “mandarin” come from?

The word “mandarin” comes from Portuguese.

Is “mandarin” a common word?

“Mandarin” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “mandarin” have?

“Mandarin” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the official language of China and Taiwan, the most widely spoken variety of Chinese.

Nearby words

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