English Words and Expressions Borrowed from Chinese (and Japanese)
How could two languages as different as Chinese and English share common words? Well, it's complicated. China has has many interactions with Europeans over the centuries. The first interactions may have been along the ancient trade routes. In addition, Portuguese and Spanish missionaries entered China as soon as they were permitted to do so. The French also have a long history of interaction with China. Some words, such as “chop suey”, were brought directly to the United States by immigrants during the California gold rush. In addition, many Europeans moved to China during the colonization of Shanghai and thereby were exposed to many new Chinese expressions.
paper tiger
The expression, paper tiger refers to something or someone that appears to be powerful, but is actually weak. An example of use is “Only time will tell if the Aggies deserve to be there or are a paper tiger.” The idiom is a direct translation of the Chinese phrase “zhǐlǎohǔ”.
ketchup
Whether you love it or hate it, there is no denying that ketchup has conquered the culinary world. In the 17th century, the Chinese mixed a concoction of tomatoes and spices and called it kôe-chiap. That word gradually evolved into the English word "ketchup". It was taken to the American colonies by English settlers and was eventually popularized by the fast-food chain McDonald's.
brainwash
This term refers to a forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up political, social, or religious beliefs. This practice was developed and perfected by the Chinese at their infamous re-education camps. An example sentence is “At least one million Uighurs have been detained in camps designed to brainwash them.”
tea, chai
Some Europeans refereed to tea as “tea” or “te” because this is what it was called by the traders who sold it to them. Other Europeans called it “chai“ because the Mandarin traders on the Silk Road called it “cha”.
gung-ho
This term means "overly enthusiastic". It was copied from a Chinese word meaning “to work together”. An example of proper use is “Trump has been gung-ho about tax cuts, but Congress hasn't necessarily shared that enthusiasm.”
kowtow
A “kowtow” is the act of respect shown by kneeling and bowing so low as to have one's head touching the ground. In is commonly used in English to refer to excessively subservient behavior. An example of proper use is “I am not suggesting we kowtow to his legal threats.”
long time no see
You may have noticed that the expression, "long time no see" does not sound natural in English. This may be due to the fact that this was a common Mandarin expression which was adopted by Europeans. In English, it means exactly what the words say.
soy
Many people would not be able to order a coffee from Starbucks without this word! The word “soy” is actually from Japan, not China. It is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of “shoyu”.
monsoon
This word is used to refer to the tropical rainy season as well as to refer to the actual rain. The term comes form Cantonese, where it means “full of water”. An example sentence is “The monsoon season is approaching and that's a matter of great concern.”
no can do
"No can do" is another case where the expression does not sound natural in English. Again, this is due to the fact that the expression comes directly from Mandarin. An example sentence is “With respect to renting your company the retail space at a below below market rate, no can do.
tofu
This is another word which comes from Japan rather than China. The Japanese pronunciation “tōfu” is derived from Mandarin the pronunciation of “dòufu”. In Mandarin, this word means “taste like dog poop”.
tycoon
In English, “tycoon” refers to a wealthy, powerful person in business or industry. This is another English word borrowed from the Japanese. The original Japanese meaning was “great nobleman”. An example sentence is “Kirby is a savvy business tycoon with investments across the globe.”
chop chop
This expression means “hurry” or “snap to it”. It was used by the British in China to let their servants know that something should be done now and without delay.
Related Resources
- Sentence Stack Idioms - a list of some of the most common English idioms
- English idioms and phrases that make no sense
