19.06.2013 Views

TLW120 - Nomads Results

TLW120 - Nomads Results

TLW120 - Nomads Results

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Watch Your Language: 9. Chinese<br />

Continuing our series in which we take a look at some of the more exotic languages that<br />

have contributed to the Scrabble playerís lexicon. Those wishing to pursue a particular<br />

language more fully might care to look at the Words page on the ABSP web site.<br />

Here is a selection of shorter words that have come to us from Chinese; words that have<br />

come in new with Collins are marked with a +.<br />

amban a Chinese resident official in a dependency<br />

bohea an inferior kind of black tea. [From the Wu-i hills<br />

in China]<br />

catsup, catchup, ketchup a yukky red stuff used for<br />

spoiling the taste of food. [Cantonese k'e chap,<br />

tomato juice]<br />

cheongsam an oriental dress with a slit skirt and a<br />

mandarin collar; from Chinese, literally, long gown<br />

chiao a Chinese monetary unit, one tenth of a YUAN. No<br />

-S! (But the Korean equivalent JIAO does take an<br />

ñS)<br />

cochin a large variety of the domestic fowl, originally<br />

from Cochin China<br />

congo, congou a kind of black Chinese tea<br />

cheongsam<br />

cumquat, kumquat a kind of fruit<br />

cumshaw (in Orient) a present, gratuity; a bribe<br />

fum fung a fabulous Chinese bird<br />

garoupa+ the grouper fish, as used in Chinese cuisine<br />

genseng, ginseng a plant of the genus Aralia, the root of<br />

which is highly valued as a medicine among the<br />

Chinese<br />

guanxi+ a Chinese social concept based on the exchange<br />

of favours<br />

hoisin+ a sweet spicy reddish-brown sauce, made from<br />

soy beans<br />

cochin<br />

honan a PONGEE fabric of even color made originally by<br />

silkworms from Honan province, China<br />

hyson a fine sort of green tea<br />

joss a Chinese figure of a god, an idol<br />

kang a Chinese sleeping platform<br />

kaoliang sorghum grain of several varieties; an alcoholic<br />

drink made from it. [Chinese 'tall grain']<br />

kaolin, kaoline a very pure white clay used to form the<br />

paste of porcelain, aka China clay<br />

kotow, kowtow the prostration made by mandarins and<br />

others to their superiors, either as homage or<br />

worship, by knocking the forehead on the ground<br />

kylin a fabulous animal figured in the decoration of<br />

Chinese pottery<br />

kotow<br />

26<br />

langshan a small black Chinese hen. [From a place near<br />

Shanghai]<br />

laogai+ a Chinese forced labour camp<br />

leechee, lichee, lichi, litchi, lychee a Chinese fruit<br />

lapsang a variety of SOUCHONG tea with a smoky<br />

flavour<br />

li a Chinese unit of distance<br />

liang a Chinese weight: 37.24 grams<br />

likin formerly, a Chinese transit duty<br />

lomein a Chinese dish of noodles, meat and vegetables<br />

loquat a Chinese and Japanese tree or its small, yellow,<br />

edible fruit<br />

longan, lungan a pulpy fruit related to the litchi, and<br />

produced by an evergreen East Indian tree.<br />

[Chinese lung-yen, dragon's eye]<br />

mahjong, mahjongg an old Chinese table game<br />

mee+ noodles or a dish containing noodles<br />

menshen+ a Chinese door god. No -S<br />

moutan the Chinese tree peony, a shrub with large<br />

flowers of various colors<br />

nankin, nankeen a durable buff-coloured cotton. [From<br />

Nanking in China]<br />

oolong, oulong a kind of tea. [Chinese wu-lung, black<br />

dragon]<br />

packfong, pakfong, paktong, pakthong+ a Chinese alloy<br />

of nickel, zinc, and copper, resembling German<br />

silver<br />

pakapoo a Chinese version of lotto<br />

peke a breed of small dog. [From Peking]<br />

pekin a fine soft silk. [From Peking]<br />

pekoe a kind of tea. [Chinese pek-ho, white down]<br />

pela white wax from a scale insect. [Chinese peh-la, white wax]<br />

petsai Chinese cabbage<br />

petuntse, petuntze a feldspathic rock used in making Chinese<br />

porcelain<br />

pinyin a system for romanizing Chinese ideograms<br />

pongee a thin, soft silk from China, naturally coloured beige or<br />

tan<br />

putonghua+ the Chinese language, standard Mandarin<br />

qi chi the physical life-force postulated by certain Chinese<br />

philosophers<br />

qigong a system of Chinese meditational exercises<br />

qinghaosu a crystalline compound obtained from artemisia<br />

renminbi a Chinese coin<br />

saimin a Hawaiian noodle soup. [Chinese sai minh, fine noodles]<br />

samfoo, samfu an outfit worn by Chinese women<br />

27<br />

kylin<br />

mahjong<br />

menshen<br />

samfoo

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!