mandarin

1 of 2

noun

man·da·rin ˈman-d(ə-)rən How to pronounce mandarin (audio)

: a public official in the Chinese Empire of any of nine superior grades

b(1)

: a pedantic official

(2)

: bureaucrat

: a person of position and influence often in intellectual or literary circles

especially : an elder and often traditionalist or reactionary member of such a circle

capitalized

: a form of spoken Chinese used by the court and the official classes of the Empire

: the group of closely related Chinese dialects that are spoken in about four fifths of the country and have a standard variety centering about Beijing

[Swedish mandarin (apelsin) mandarin (orange), ultimately from Portuguese mandarim mandarin; perhaps from the color of a mandarin's robes]

: a small spiny orange tree (Citrus reticulata) of southeastern Asia with yellow to reddish-orange loose-rinded fruits

also : a tree (such as the satsuma) developed in cultivation from the mandarin by selective breeding or hybridization

: the fruit of a mandarin

mandarinic

ˌman-də-ˈri-nik How to pronounce mandarin (audio)

adjective

mandarinism

ˈman-d(ə-)rə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce mandarin (audio)

noun

mandarin

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or typical of a mandarin

mandarin graces

: marked by polished ornate complexity of language

mandarin prose

Did you know?

The Portuguese were the first to refer to a Chinese official as a "mandarin." The word hails from the Portuguese word mandarim, which developed, by way of Malay měntěri, from Sanskrit mantrin, meaning "counselor." Mandarins were promoted by successfully completing the imperial Chinese examination system, which was primarily based on the teachings of Confucian texts. In time, mandarin became a word for a pedantic official, a bureaucrat, or a person of position and influence. The noun passed into the English language in the late 16th century, and the adjective appeared in the early 17th. You may also know Mandarin as a word for the chief dialect of China or be familiar with the mandarin orange (the fruit's name comes from the orange color of a mandarin official's robe).

Example Sentences

Noun the officious mandarins in the motor vehicles department refused to let me renew my license without all of the required forms

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Notes of Italian mandarin and crystalline accord create a scent that is so fresh and so clean before blending into warmer, almondy notes of tonka bean and white musk.

Joseph Deacetis, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2022 Orange, lemon and mandarin trees that continue to bear fruit all these decades later.

Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2022 This warm and spicy fragrance oozes aromatics of fresh and juicy Italian mandarin, spicy gingerbread accord, warm cedarwood, and a twist of pineapple all housed in a luxurious bottle adorned in Valentino’s iconic rock-stud detailing.

Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 May 2022 These include top notes of bergamot, Italian green mandarin and diva lavender from France; middle notes of Turkish rose and sage heart; and base notes of Haitian vetiver and bourbon geranium from Madagascar.

Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2022 Housed in a gorgeous golden glass bottle are citrus notes of Italian mandarin and bergamot that are bright, sunny, and perfect for warmer weather.

Joseph Deacetis, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2022 Cassirer was laid to rest in a Jewish cemetery in Paramus, New Jersey—a destination the German mandarin could never have imagined.

Adam Kirsch, The New York Review of Books, 8 Apr. 2021 Cassirer was laid to rest in a Jewish cemetery in Paramus, New Jersey—a destination the German mandarin could never have imagined.

Adam Kirsch, The New York Review of Books, 8 Apr. 2021

Adjective

The sweet-and-sour fish is Cuban pargo (red snapper), not mandarin fish.

The Economist, 14 Sep. 2019 See More

单词	mandarin
释义	mandarin 1 of 2 noun man·da·rin ˈman-d(ə-)rən 1 a : a public official in the Chinese Empire of any of nine superior grades b(1) : a pedantic official (2) : bureaucrat c : a person of position and influence often in intellectual or literary circles especially : an elder and often traditionalist or reactionary member of such a circle 2 capitalized a : a form of spoken Chinese used by the court and the official classes of the Empire b : the group of closely related Chinese dialects that are spoken in about four fifths of the country and have a standard variety centering about Beijing 3 [Swedish mandarin (apelsin) mandarin (orange), ultimately from Portuguese mandarim mandarin; perhaps from the color of a mandarin's robes] a : a small spiny orange tree (Citrus reticulata) of southeastern Asia with yellow to reddish-orange loose-rinded fruits also : a tree (such as the satsuma) developed in cultivation from the mandarin by selective breeding or hybridization b : the fruit of a mandarin mandarinic ˌman-də-ˈri-nik adjective mandarinism ˈman-d(ə-)rə-ˌni-zəm noun mandarin 2 of 2 adjective 1 : of, relating to, or typical of a mandarin mandarin graces 2 : marked by polished ornate complexity of language mandarin prose Did you know? The Portuguese were the first to refer to a Chinese official as a "mandarin." The word hails from the Portuguese word mandarim, which developed, by way of Malay měntěri, from Sanskrit mantrin, meaning "counselor." Mandarins were promoted by successfully completing the imperial Chinese examination system, which was primarily based on the teachings of Confucian texts. In time, mandarin became a word for a pedantic official, a bureaucrat, or a person of position and influence. The noun passed into the English language in the late 16th century, and the adjective appeared in the early 17th. You may also know Mandarin as a word for the chief dialect of China or be familiar with the mandarin orange (the fruit's name comes from the orange color of a mandarin official's robe). Synonyms Noun bureaucrat civil servant functionary public servant See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Noun the officious mandarins in the motor vehicles department refused to let me renew my license without all of the required forms Recent Examples on the Web Noun Notes of Italian mandarin and crystalline accord create a scent that is so fresh and so clean before blending into warmer, almondy notes of tonka bean and white musk. Joseph Deacetis, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2022 Orange, lemon and mandarin trees that continue to bear fruit all these decades later. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2022 This warm and spicy fragrance oozes aromatics of fresh and juicy Italian mandarin, spicy gingerbread accord, warm cedarwood, and a twist of pineapple all housed in a luxurious bottle adorned in Valentino’s iconic rock-stud detailing. Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 May 2022 These include top notes of bergamot, Italian green mandarin and diva lavender from France; middle notes of Turkish rose and sage heart; and base notes of Haitian vetiver and bourbon geranium from Madagascar. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2022 Housed in a gorgeous golden glass bottle are citrus notes of Italian mandarin and bergamot that are bright, sunny, and perfect for warmer weather. Joseph Deacetis, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2022 Cassirer was laid to rest in a Jewish cemetery in Paramus, New Jersey—a destination the German mandarin could never have imagined. Adam Kirsch, The New York Review of Books, 8 Apr. 2021 Cassirer was laid to rest in a Jewish cemetery in Paramus, New Jersey—a destination the German mandarin could never have imagined. Adam Kirsch, The New York Review of Books, 8 Apr. 2021 Cassirer was laid to rest in a Jewish cemetery in Paramus, New Jersey—a destination the German mandarin could never have imagined. Adam Kirsch, The New York Review of Books, 8 Apr. 2021 Adjective The sweet-and-sour fish is Cuban pargo (red snapper), not mandarin fish. The Economist, 14 Sep. 2019 See More Word History Etymology Noun Portuguese mandarim, from Malay mĕntĕri, from Sanskrit mantrin counselor, from mantra counsel — more at mantra First Known Use Noun 1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Adjective 1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Phrases Containing mandarin mandarin collar mandarin orange mandarin collar mandarin orange Kids Definition mandarin noun man·da·rin ˈman-də-rən 1 : a public official of the Chinese Empire 2 capitalized : the chief dialect of China mandarin noun as in official a worker in a government agency the officious mandarins in the motor vehicles department refused to let me renew my license without all of the required forms Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance official bureaucrat functionary clerk worker employee civil servant public servant underling employe officiary hireling officeholder hand jobholder
随便看	tarsealed tarsealing tarseals Tarshish tarsi tarsia tarsias tarsier tarsiers tarsii Tarsiidae tarsiidaes Tarsiiformes tarsioid Tarsioidea tarsioideae tarsioideas Tarsipes tarsites tarsitides tarsitises tarsitisses Tarsius tarsiuses tarso-

mandarin

noun

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing mandarin

Kids Definition

noun

noun