Where does “mainland Chinese” come from?
mainland Chinese (English) comes from English Chinese, from English China, from Portuguese china, from Medieval Latin Sina, from Latin Sīnae, from Ancient Greek Σῖναι, from Arabic صِين, from Pahlavi čīn — {{w|Qin |State of Qin}}, {{w|Qin dynasty}}; Qin.
mainland Chinese (English): A person living in or originating from mainland China
Definitions
- A person living in or originating from mainland China
Ancestry of “mainland Chinese”, step by step
mainland Chinese traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Chinese
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Chinese | The people of China; All people of Chinese... |
| 2 | English | China | A Chinese person; Alternative form of cheyney:... |
| 3 | Portuguese | china | a woman, especially one of Native American... |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | Sina | — |
| 5 | Latin | Sīnae | the Chinese, specifically |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Σῖναι | the southern Chinese |
| 7 | Arabic | صِين | — |
| 8 | Pahlavi | čīn | — |
| 9 | Sanskrit | चीन | the Chinese people; China; a bandage for the... |
| 10 | Old Chinese | 秦 | {{w|Qin |State of Qin}}, {{w|Qin dynasty}}; Qin |
via English mainland
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mainland | The continent; the principal land, as... |
| 2 | Middle English | mayne londe | A large swath of land or property; mainland; the... |
| 3 | Middle English | lond | An independent nation, country or realm; A tribe,... |
| 4 | Old English | land | land; a country; region within a country:... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | land | land, area of ground |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | landą | land, area of ground |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lendʰ- | land, heath; loins |