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Iclearwater Posted 8 years ago
Vocabulary

Chinese

Hi,

Q1. An American gentman told me it was wrong to use "Chinese" as a noun years ago.

For example:

Wrong: He is a Chinese.

Correct: He is Chinese. / He is a Chinese person.

However on Cambridge Dictionary,"Chinese" can be defined as noun except for being adjective. On another language forum, it seems the usage of the word is disputable.


Q2: Do you think the word ends with -"ese", Japanese, Cantonese, Burmanese should follow the same rule?


Q3: I am curious why the words were coined with"-ese", instead of "ian". i.e. Chinian, Japanian. Does the suffix-ese refer to Asians?

Many thanks!


PS. I'm not sure if my memory serves me right about the words above I wrote. I just want to know the proper usage of 'Chinese".

  

Top answer

iclearwater Wrong: He is a Chinese. No; right. That is fine.

— Mister Micawber

  • iclearwater Wrong: He is a Chinese.
  • No; right.
  • That is fine.
  • iclearwater Q2: Do you think the word ends with -"ese", Japanese, Cantonese, Burmanese should follow the same rule?
  • Yes—the same rule I just used.
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2 Answers
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iclearwaterWrong: He is a Chinese.

No; right. That is fine.

iclearwaterQ2: Do you think the word ends with -"ese", Japanese, Cantonese, Burmanese should follow the same rule?

Yes—the same rule I just used.

iclearwaterQ3: I am curious why the words were coined with"-ese", instead of "ian"
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Chinese is both a noun and an adjective.

Noun:

the language
mass noun: the people of China in general (Not an individual person).

Adjective:

a person of Chinese descent (He is Chinese.)
related to China (Chinese food)

See example sentences here:

https:

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