Definition

1. Noun:
   • High-quality porcelain or ceramic ware: "china" refers to a type of fine, translucent ceramic material, or items made from it, such as dishes and decorative objects.
   • A country in East Asia: "China" (often capitalized) is a nation in eastern Asia, officially the People's Republic of China, known for its ancient civilization and large population.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Material):
  • She collects antique blue and white china. (She collects antique blue and white porcelain dishes.)
  • Please be careful when washing the good china. (Please be careful when washing the fine porcelain dishes.)
• Noun (Country):
  • China has a rich history spanning thousands of years. (The country of China has a rich history spanning thousands of years.)
  • Tea originated in China. (The beverage tea originated in the country of China.)

Advanced Usage

• "a bull in a china shop": a person who is clumsy or careless in a delicate situation.
  • He was like a bull in a china shop during the delicate negotiations. (He was very clumsy and careless during the delicate negotiations.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chinese (adj): relating to China, its people, or its languages.
  • We ate at a Chinese restaurant. (We ate at a restaurant serving food from China.)
• Chinaware (n): another term for dishes or decorative objects made of china/porcelain.
  • The chinaware was displayed in a glass cabinet. (The porcelain dishes were displayed in a glass cabinet.)

Synonyms

• Porcelain: a ceramic material; often used interchangeably with "china" for the material.
• Ceramics: objects made from clay and hardened by heat; a broader category that includes china.

Related Phrases

• China cabinet: a piece of furniture with glass doors used to display china dishes.
  • The family's best plates are in the china cabinet. (The family's best plates are in the display cabinet for porcelain.)

Related Idioms

• To have a chinwag (British, informal): to have a long, friendly conversation. (Note: This idiom uses "chin," not "china," but is included due to its phonetic similarity and common confusion for learners.)
  • We sat down for a cup of tea and a good chinwag. (We sat down for a cup of tea and a long, friendly chat.)

Noun

1. dishware made of high quality porcelain
2. a government on the island of Taiwan established in 1949 by Chiang Kai-shek after the conquest of mainland China by the Communists led by Mao Zedong
3. high quality porcelain originally made only in China
4. a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world