mandarin

C2 Topic:Communication

US /ˈmæn.də.rɪn/ UK /ˈmæn.də.rɪn/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like mandolin /l/ vs /ɹ/

Freq #11770

Meanings

1

noun
the major group of Chinese varieties spoken across much of China, especially Standard Mandarin

She studied Mandarin before beginning her research in Beijing.
2

noun
a small, sweet citrus fruit with a loose orange skin

He peeled a mandarin and divided it into segments.
3

noun
historical: a high-ranking official in imperial China

The provincial mandarin supervised tax collection on behalf of the emperor.
4

noun
often disapproving: a powerful senior bureaucrat or an influential member of an intellectual or cultural elite

The policy was shaped by a small circle of Whitehall mandarins.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the major group of chinese... Mandarin ChineseStandard Chinese

2 noun · a small, sweet citrus fruit... mandarin orange

3 noun · historical: a high-ranking... imperial official

4 noun · often disapproving: a... senior bureaucratestablishment figure

Word family

Forms mandarins

Derived forms mandarinatemandarindommandarinismmandarinize

Related forms Chinesecitrusbureaucratcivil servant

Common collocations

mandarin orange Noun + noun

Etymology

Through Portuguese mandarim and Malay menteri from Sanskrit mantrin, 'counsellor or minister,' based on mantra, 'counsel.' English first used mandarin for an imperial Chinese official, then for the language associated with the administration. The citrus name arose from the fruit's resemblance in color to mandarins' robes.

Topics

Communication

External links

# mandarin

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈmæn.də.rɪn/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈmæn.də.rɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 11770

## Meanings
1. the major group of Chinese varieties spoken across much of China, especially Standard Mandarin
2. a small, sweet citrus fruit with a loose orange skin
3. historical: a high-ranking official in imperial China
4. often disapproving: a powerful senior bureaucrat or an influential member of an intellectual or cultural elite

## Examples
- She studied Mandarin before beginning her research in Beijing.
- He peeled a mandarin and divided it into segments.
- The provincial mandarin supervised tax collection on behalf of the emperor.
- The policy was shaped by a small circle of Whitehall mandarins.

## Synonyms
- Mandarin Chinese
- Standard Chinese
- mandarin orange
- imperial official
- senior bureaucrat
- establishment figure

## Derived Forms
- mandarinate
- mandarindom
- mandarinism
- mandarinize

## Related Forms
- Chinese
- citrus
- bureaucrat
- civil servant

## Etymology
Through Portuguese mandarim and Malay menteri from Sanskrit mantrin, 'counsellor or minister,' based on mantra, 'counsel.' English first used mandarin for an imperial Chinese official, then for the language associated with the administration. The citrus name arose from the fruit's resemblance in color to mandarins' robes.

## Topics
- Communication

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