chinois French · revision 17711

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1575}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (France): /ʃi.nwa/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Quebec): /ʃi.nwa/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Quebec): /ʃi.nwɑ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''chinois''' (feminine chinoise, masculine plural chinois, feminine plural chinoises)^(Wiktionary)

+ Also ''chinese'' (1602).^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|fr|Chine|-ois]].^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)^(Grand Robert 2005) Rey explains the name of the country as an adaptation of an Indian name meaning “the land of Qin”, after the first dynasty to rule all China in the 3rd century BC; the Chinese name itself means “the middle country”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Petit Robert and Rey date it to 1575; the TLFi's first dated text, Palma Cayet's ''Chronologie septenaire'' (1605), uses it as a noun for an inhabitant of China.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''À la chinoise'', in the Chinese style, appears in a royal furniture inventory of 1675.^(TLFi) The noun for the language is found in 1616 in a translation of Trigault's account of the Jesuit mission, earlier than the TLFi's 1803 (Chateaubriand).^(BHVF)^(TLFi) In the 19th century the French image of China gave figurative senses: ''c'est du chinois'', incomprehensible language (1790), ''chinois de paravent'', a grotesque figure (1808), and ''un chinois'', an odd person or a hair-splitter (1820).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Concrete senses followed: a small green orange preserved in brandy (1845), and in the 20th century a fine conical strainer, from its likeness to a Chinese hat.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary) Familiar French uses ''un chinois'' for a Chinese or East Asian restaurant, and in Réunion and Guiana for a grocer.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''Chinoiserie'' (1838) named objects from China and then needlessly complicated formalities.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1575 – First recorded.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1605 – An inhabitant of China, in Palma Cayet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1616 – The Chinese language.^(BHVF)

+ * 1675 – ''À la chinoise''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1790 – ''Du chinois'', gibberish.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1820 – ''Un chinois'', an odd person.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1838 – The derivative ''chinoiserie''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1845 – A small preserved orange.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|Chinese|alt=Chinese]], of [[Chine|alt=China]] or its people: ''l'écriture chinoise'', ''le quartier chinois''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # In the Chinese style: ''ombres chinoises'', ''casse-tête chinois''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''(familiar)'' Needlessly complicated; [[m|en|fussy]], hair-splitting: ''il est trop chinois''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Le Robert)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''Chinois'', ''Chinoise'': a Chinese person.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # The Chinese language, ''c'est du chinois'': it is incomprehensible, “it's all Greek”.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(cooking)'' A fine conical [[m|en|strainer]].^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # A small green orange preserved in brandy.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''(familiar)'' A Chinese restaurant.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[chinoiserie]]

+ * [[chinoisement]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Chine]]

+ * [[sino-]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}