Chinese in Portuguese 🇧🇷

chinês info.

Tips to remember the word:
• Notice that Portuguese adjectives referring to nationalities often add the suffix “-ês” (like inglês, francês). Since China is the source, “chinês” naturally follows.
• Visualize a map where China stands out; associating its culture with the word “chinês” can help fix it in your memory.

Explanations:
• “Chinês” is used as both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, it qualifies something as belonging to or related to China (e.g., cultura chinesa – Chinese culture). As a noun, it can refer to the language or to a person from China.
• When referring to the language, you might see “língua chinesa” or “idioma chinês” used in more formal contexts.

Other words with the same meaning:
• For the language, “mandarim” is often used when specifically discussing the official language of China.
• “Língua chinesa” or “idioma chinês” are alternative expressions emphasizing that it is a language.

Alternate meanings and slang:
• The expression “parece chinês para mim” is informally used to indicate that something is incomprehensible or confusing—similar to saying “it’s all Greek to me.”
• Similarly, “falar em chinês” may be used idiomatically to suggest that someone is speaking in a way that’s hard to understand.

Example sentences:
1. "Meu amigo começou a estudar chinês para poder viajar pela Ásia."
– Translation: "My friend started studying Chinese in order to travel around Asia."
2. "Essas instruções parecem chinês para mim; ninguém entende o que está escrito."
– Translation: "These instructions seem like Chinese to me; no one understands what is written."

a few seconds ago